The Silver Lotus Pack, Apocalypse Japan
by Shinobu Tanaka
Summary: This third story relates about the events triggering the Apocalypse in the East. Garou and Hengeyokai are forced to confront the massive forces of the Yama Kings, and the members of the Silver Lotus Pack fight against all odds to save Gaia.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue – Manning trenches**

Izumi Rolling-Pebble sat herself down opposite Ciran Far-Traveller in the guestroom of Cherry Blossom Shrine. She had just returned from her shift to patrol the bawn, and the fur of her white pelt was still wet from the early morning rain. Peach Twig Meadow had seemed so peaceful, and if it had been up to her she would be on guard duty continuously. The steam gradually rising from the four cups of Matcha tea, on the little bamboo table in front of her, added to the tranquil admosphere of the room, though. It was an admosphere she enjoyed very much. Her packmate, Takeo Slicer-of-Bamboo, who had been patrolling in his human Form, was coughing. He sat next to her, wrapped in a blanket and taking little gulps from his tea in order to stay warm. Unlike the Warder, Izumi preferred to stay in her Crinos Form. In an odd way it felt much more comfortable than her human or wolf form did. She would only shapeshift to either, if a situation forced her to. Since she hardly ever left the bawn, that did not happen often.

This morning Ciran had summoned her and Takeo to the Shrine for a meeting of the Elders. A casual meeting with Ciran was nothing out of the ordinary, but today's gathering had something formal. There seemed to be a feel of urgency to it, since even Fumio Heals-with-Vigor was present. The old Theurge had spend his entire life studying spirits in order to design fetish equipment for the _Peaceful voice of Zypher_ sept. He hardly ever left the Umbra. Only Ryota Higoshi could not be present, since the _Keeper of the Land_ had recently been send on an assignment with his pack. During the meeting the patrols would be carried out by three novice guardians, together with the spirits that lived around the caern. These were some Jade-spirits, Wind-spirits and one or two Jagglings (Aralin).

"Thank you all for coming, my dear friends. The reason for me to call this meeting are signs of an upcoming threat. The past few weeks some minor incidents have been drawing my attention. At first I thought they were just that, incidents, but after my talk with Fumio, among others, I suspect they are related.", Ciran said, while reaching for his teacup. Izumi glanced at Fumio, who sat on the floor in his breed form. The wolf made a small nod with his muzzle, and released a short yelp, as if supporting Ciran's prior statement. "What are the incidents you talk about, and what makes you think they are connected?", she asked, turning her attention back to Ciran.

"Recently there has been a great increase in the number of security incidents at the major caerns in Japan. Minions of the Wyrm are activelly spying on us. Especially the past few days the number of Banes probing the perimeter of our own caern is disturbing.", Ciran answered her. "True! We have had some minor confrontations with Banes yesterday and two days ago. But when I and the guardians on duty engaged them, they disappeared without a fight. This happens every other month, and doesn't seem an escalation to me!", Takeo said, while glancing from Ciran to her. The Warder was a proud warrior, but his auspice was sometimes his weakness as well as his strenght. The Ahroun focussed too much on the physical defence of his caern and sept, and usually missed the bigger picture. That was the reason why _she_ was packleader of the Peach Twig Meadow pack, and not Takeo.

"You mentioned the security of more caerns was probed? Have you spoken with the Elders of the Council in Kyoto? And what other signs or incidents have occured?", Izumi asked. There were four major caerns, owned by Stargazer septs, left in Japan. On the main island of Honshu, the _Mount Fuji caern_ was situated near Mount Fuji, while the _Rising Splendor caern_ could be found in Kyoto. On the island of Kyushu, _Aso caern_ lay near Mount Aso. Their own caern, _Cherry Blossom Shrine_, was located in Hokkaido, near Mount Asahidake.

Ciran put his teacup back on the little bamboo table, and his eyes showed worry. "All of the caerns have been probed. Secondly, we have had some trouble activating Moon bridges from this caern. Aso caern seems to have a similar problem now, and can only be reached through conventional travel. If this trend continues, our septs will not be able to aid eachother quickly, if needed. Thirdly, rumors have reached us about the Yama Kings appearing in the Middle Kingdom. The information is not from first hand accounts, but the sources that provided us with it, are reliable. The Elders in Kyoto worry about the signs as much as we do. They are recalling all packs currently on quests or missions, to return to their septs. This has not happened for quite a few years. Not on this scale. Not in my lifetime."

Takeo's face looked grim. She noticed the Ahroun finger his bamboo staff, laying on the floor at his side. The Fetish weapon was like a limb to him, and he never abandonned it. "If the Yama Kings are able to leave their hells and enter our world in person, than the situation is grave indeed. The powers they wield could destroy entire septs at once. It would take multiple battle hardened packs to face even one of them in battle." Izumi noticed Ciran close his eyes. "Ciran, what is it? I know you well enough to feel there is more to this than you just told us!"

The Elderly Ragabash opened his eyes again, and she noticed clear sadness in his eyes. Takeo had noticed it too, and frowned at her. But Fumio didn't seem surprised at all. The Garou in wolf form just stared at Ciran, as if waiting for his explanation. "Ciran, please share with us what you know. We cannot have secrets between the Elders, not when our caern might be in possible danger."

When Ciran opened his mouth, the words felt like tears streaming across her soul. "I saw the Apocalypse in Fumio's future, yesterday. I read his future with his permission, and I told him what I saw. He knows. Just now I have seen it in your future too...", he said, his voice almost like a whisper. "I have seen all three of you die!"

* * *

Daniella Black stared at the blurry photo image Ainesh Goshal had just opened on his computerscreen. She leaned across the Glasswalker's shoulder to get a closer look, and frowned. Ainesh nodded. "This is the only photo in our database resembling the woman you have described to us. It was recently taken by Gadget during a surveillance operation in Shinjuku ward. There is no information in her file, except for the bad quality photo. That is a pretty significant fact, since we have rather detailed information on merely any Kuei-jin or Kin-jin located in Tokyo. This one is either just passing through our city, or she doesn't want to be found!", he said, while pointing at the figure on the screen.

Daniella lifted her right hand, and moved the fingers through her dark blond hair. She tried to recall the appearance of the woman in white from their 'meeting' at Goro Shobo's base, and tried to match it with the bad quality photo image. No doubt in her mind that the woman on the image must be the same person. "Norio told me she wore some kind of brouche on her suit? Orange and black? Isn't that the mark of Pentex?", she asked. Ainesh nodded thoughtfully, and his fingers went back to his keyboard. Daniella smiled as she watched him type. The movement of his fingertips was so fluent and fast, and even though his eyes never left the screen, he did not make one mistake. It was almost as if the keys were the pelt of a sweet little puppy he was tenderly petting. She had noticed this before during the time she had spend with Billy Jiang back in Paris. Glasswalkers and their affinity with technology was something that fascinated her.

"I am sure she is Kuei-jin! I saw her decapitate Goro Shobo's schoolgirl with Blood Shintai. I have been hunting the undead long enough to recognize the gifts they use. There must be more information on her, Ainesh.", Norio said. Daniella glanced at the grey-haired Stargazer. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor, his back against the wall, studying the blade of a sword he had recovered at Goro Shobo's lair. His thoughts seemed to be somewhere else ever since early this morning.

After the showdown Norio, Miyoko and Shinobu had returned alive and victorious. The Kuei-jin Oyabun and his minion Daisuke had both been killed, as well as their yakuza guard. According to Shinobu their business was finished here, and she had urged Miyoko and her to return to Cherry Blossom Shrine to join up there with Fang Yin. Norio had a very different opinion. He had argued that this hunt wasn't finished until they had found the woman in white. He emphasized that he felt she must be an even bigger threat to the city and Gaia than Goro Shobo. But Miyoko, who seemed to have a bone to pick with the grey-haired Stargazer, had refused to stay any longer. The Ahroun and the Theurge had left early this morning, after thanking the Glasswalkers for their help and hospitality.

Daniella had decided to stay in Tokyo a little while longer. She planned to help Norio find the woman in white. He could hardly manage that on his own. The last time he had tried, Eri managed to capture him, and one of the schoolgirls' minions had severely wounded Daniella. He surely would need her help to best this new Kuei-jin. Moreover she needed to teach the grey-haired Stargazer some respect for women and some manners too.

It had not been easy to convince Miyoko and Shinobu to leave her behind. The former had argued that if she truly wanted to be part of the Silver Lotus Pack, she had better start to put the pack before her own interests. The latter had expressed her concern of the fact that the Black Furie could not speak Japanese and might have trouble travelling on her own. Daniella had promised to catch up with them at the Shrine as soon as she had completely recovered from her injury. Norio had surprised everyone by promising to accompany her back to Cherry Blossom Shrine, when he had finished his hunt. That was significant, since, according to what Miyoko had told them, Quickblade never left Tokyo. That sudden change in the man's stubborn and ignorant character amused her, and she smiled to herself, while turning her attention back to Ainesh.

"I recently hacked a database of the Pentex Corporation to acquire a list of their personnel as a favour to one of our 'customers'. I was just browsing through an interactive list with names and positions, and found this file. She might be the one we are looking for?", the Glasswalker said, while gesturing at the screen. Daniella glanced at the small photo of an asian woman with a white skin and long, silver-black hair. She read the personal info out loud. "Name: Kimiko Hinaru, Position: Executive, Boardmember, Assigned with following duties: intelligence and special operations, Location: Pentex Headquarters Tokyo…" "Norio, come and take a look. This must be her!"

"This must be who? Who are you chasing this time, Quickblade?" Daniella was startled by the sudden unfamiliar voice, and glanced in the direction it had come from. A slender woman stood in the doorway, smiling at Norio. She had Asian features, wore a hooded drawstring jacket, a wool miniskirt, leggings, and a beanie hat on her head. Daniella estimated her to be in her thirties, although it was hard for her to tell, since Asian people generally looked younger than Caucasians. When the woman took off her hat, the Black Furie noticed her short haircut. The woman carried a long cloth vessel on her back, her right hand holding its cloth string that spanned across her chest.

"Yamei! I thought you were in China? What a pleasant surprise.", Norio said, his face answering her smile with his own. The Black Furie couldn't help frowning at both their smiles. They seemed to hold a bit more than just friendship. She felt angry with herself, as she realized she might actually be jealous?! She clenched her fists, and pushed the anger away. Norio seemed to have noticed some change in her behaviour, and turned to her. "Daniella, please meet Yamei Sunbeam, an old friend of mine!", he said, while showing her a smile that resembled a grin. She forced a smile of her own, and shook the woman's hand. She would surely find out what the actual connection between the newcomer and the grey-haired Stargazer was! Darn, this woman was pretty.

Yamei entered the room and walked toward Ainesh to shake his hand. Then she bend through her knees to embrace Gadget. The two GlassWalkers seemed to know her well. Everyone seemed to know eachother here. God, she felt so much like a foreigner in this city! She turned her attention to a tall man, who had entered the room behind Yamei. The woman rose and introduced him to Norio and her. "This is my friend, Ming Claw-of-Emeishan. We have been partners on a recent hunt, and he decided to accompany me to Tokyo." Daniella nodded toward the Khan, who made a polite bow in return. Another Deamon eater and a Weretiger. This promised to be interesting.

* * *

Eri bit her teeth, when the tiny needles of the cutting instrument reëntered the flesh of her bare back, causing a short, but intense pain. After hours of silently undergoing the horimono treatment, she couldn't help releasing a yelp. The tattoo master glanced at her and apologized, his eyes showing fear. The man knew who or what she was, as did the other men and women in the room. She shook her head in response, and urged him to continue working on his masterpiece.

She glanced at the row of men to her left, who sat on their knees patiently, waiting for her orders. Most of them had a bare upperbody, showing off their beautiful tattoos. They kept their eyes on the floor, scared of her powers, but she knew that inside they yearned to look at her. They had seen her march into their headquarters in her schoolgirl uniform. It had taken her less than a minute to entice their Oyabun to serve her unconditionally, and no weapon had been used in the process. A Shikome could steal the heart of any man, and Eri used this new power to her advantage. It caused some trouble with women, though! The body of a female member of this yakuza family lay on the floor just in front of her. She had had to kill the woman to set an example to the others.

Eri turned her attention to her right, where her minions were standing in attention. Three survivors of Goro Shobo's former yakuza _gumi_ were keeping their eyes on the other men and women in the room. Two girls in schoolgirl uniform were walking back and forth, pouring the Oyabun and herself some tea. The three yakuza were completely loyal to her, since they saw her as the only surviving leader of Shobo's faction. The schoolgirls had been her personal militia when she was still a mortal, and followed her without any trouble now that she was Kuei-jin. They seemed to be immune to the rage and aversion other women had against a Shikome. She smiled to herself. It would have been a real waste if she had to kill all those young girls. They would form the backbone of her new organization, as spies, enticers, prostitutes and assassins.

While emptying her teacup, Eri glanced past the Oyabun sitting opposite her, and noticed Susumu entering the room. The girl, dressed in Gothloli style, had been following her around as if she was a celebrity, even before she became Kuei-jin. The girl was fanatic and Eri used her to spy, gather information, and lead the schoolgirl militia as her deputy. Susumu came over straight away, and sat herself down right next to her. The girl glanced and grinned at the Oyabun, who frowned at the insult of this teenager, but finally yielded. He knew he was no longer in charge. Eri slid a hand across her bare breasts, which caused a stir in the row of yakuza to her left. So they _had_ been watching her?! She smiled oncemore, and turned to her deputy.

"What news do you bring, Susumu?" The girl showed a satisfied smile, and started her incoherent monologue. Eri enjoyed the fact that Susumu still addressed her in the same blunt and naïve way as before her death. Others, whether yakuza or schoolgirl, made deep respectful bows now, and avoided her glance out of fear or shame. "The woman in white is working for an organization called Pentex. Have you heard of it? One of the girls has an affair with an employee of that company. The man is 46, for goodness sake! But she says he buys her a lot of expensive things. Anyways, he will try and provide us with the white woman's schedule." "That is excellent! And what about the Deamon Eater, Norio Tsuda? Did you find him yet?" Again Susumu's face shone with pride, as she continued. "Yes, I managed to find him too! One of the girls spotted him in Shinjuku. He seems to eat lunch at the same foodstall virtually everyday. You can just go there to pick him up tomorrow, if ya like? I could take you there myself!"

Eri closed her eyes and threw her head back, carressing herself with both arms. She thought about the grey-haired Garou, and couldn't wait to meet him again. Suddenly she rose to her feet, causing the tattoo master to curse and the row of yakuza to gloat at her naked body. Let them have their moment of joy. Before long they would die for her, fighting the forces of her enemies. She would continue to entice the leaders of other gumi into serving her, thereby creating one powerful yakuza organization. She would use that powerbase to fullfill the task her Master, Emma-o, had charged her with. She would deliver Tokyo to the Yama King, and reap the rewards of unlimited power he had promised her.

* * *

Kimiko Hinaru rose from her seat when Hideki Anzai entered the boardroom. She had summoned the man, who was the leader of Pentex First Team #17, better known by its nickname _Shinjuku Ken. _It was a name feared by friend and foe throughout Japan. Anzai approached the oval metal-and-glass table in the middle of the room, halted just in front of it, and made a respectful bow toward her. Kimiko nodded in response and gestured towards the seat opposite her. "Please sit down, mister Anzai." The man did as she had asked him, and looked at her with his arms folded on the table, waiting patiently for her to give him an assignment.

Kimiko was fond of Anzai. He was calm and polite, and never interrupted her. Moreover he had a splendid record of service to the Corporation. First Team _Shinjuku Ken_ had never failed to complete an assignment. Anzai stood for results, and that was accactly what Kimiko needed at the moment. The _Tokyo operation_ wasn't progressing according to plan. The news about the unexpected assassination of Goro Shobo was very unfortunate. The Kuei-jin Oyabun had been an important component of the operation, and time to find a suitable replacement was running out. Moreover, the Silent Fangs of Ananasa had not delivered. The members of the Silver Lotus Pack were still alive. She had no choice but to send a First Team to clean up after the assassin clan, and take out the Garou once and for all.

"I have an assignment for your Team, Anzai. It involves the assassination of a pack of Garou. The priority of this mission is critical, and failure is not an option!", Kimiko said, while removing a small encrypted flash-drive from her laptop. She placed it on the glass tabletop, and slid it toward Anzai. The man intercepted it with his left hand, but his eyes never left Kimiko's. "You will find all the information you need on that drive, including a small history of their confrontations with the corporation. Do not take them lightly. They have overcome other First Teams and everything else we've send after them!" The man stayed utterly calm, while he put the flash-drive savely away in his inner pocket. "Me and my Team will not disappoint you, miss Hinaru. The next time we meet, I will bring you their heads."

Kimiko nodded, and Anzai rose to take his leave. He made another bow toward her, turned and left the boardroom. When the door closed behind him, Kimiko walked to one end of the table that held a glass plate with a snow white and a pitch black sake set. She took one of the cups and filled it with sake from the white flask. After emptying the cup, she took out her mobile phone and dialed the number of Takashi Osamu. The Executive director was on his way to an important business client. She needed to inform him about her change of tactics, before she took the next step. Moreover, she felt like talking to him. In her position she had many enemies and few people she could trust. Takashi came closest to a friend, and even she needed one. "Kimiko, how are you? Any news on the killers of Goro Shobo yet? I am still in the car, almost at the meeting..."

Then Kimiko noticed the sudden darkness in the boardroom. She glanced up at the lamps on the ceiling, and her eyes widened when she realized they were still on. A shiver went through her spine. When she turned she saw the silent figure of a man sitting in her seat. She frowned at first, wondering how the stranger had been able to enter the heavily secured boardroom, without her knowledge. The middle-aged man, dressed in a grey suit, stared across the screen of her white Laptop, his glance almost nailing itself into her brain. She raised her left hand and rubbed her head, trying to break free from his demanding eyes, but she could not. The man's hands, seemingly made of gleaming metal were calmly resting on the glass tabletop. Utter fear took hold of Kimiko, and her right hand, in which she held her mobile phone, started trembling heavily. She vaguely heard Takashi's voice calling her name, wondering why she wasn't answering him anymore. She pressed the button to end the call, and put the phone away in the inner pocket of her skirtsuit. The one thing she had feared the most and had tried to avoid, had just happened. This man could only be her Master, Mikaboshi. Even if she did not recognize the appearance he had taken, the signs of his presence were crystal clear.

"Kimiko, of all my minions you are the brightest. You are nearly unmatched in both strategy and tactics. Moreover, you are extremely determined and loyal to me. That's why I originally chose you to direct my _Tokyo operation_.", the Yama King said. The man's metal fingertips started tapping rhythmically against the glass. "However, recent events have forced me to reconsider, and so today I came to the Middle Kingdom in person to set certain things right!", he continued. Kimiko, unable to restrain herself any longer, burst into tears and ran around the table to fall to her knees at her Master's feet. She never cried for anyone, let alone prostrating herself, but she had been to Mikaboshi's hell, ...had seen it's horror. An eternity of suffering in that forsaken place would break _anyone_! "Please spare me, great Lord of the Wicked City! Some plans have been delayed, but I promise you that the operation will take place according to schedule."

The Yama King seemed to frown at her, but then a cold grin formed on his lips, almost hidden by the twilight. "I did not come here to punish or replace you, my dear Kuei-jin. I have confidence in your abilities. But the Tokyo operation is entering a new fase, the final fase. The other Yama Kings and our Wyrm cousins in the West are stirring like never before. The Apocalypse is about to start, and it is time to man the trenches!". Kimiko closed her eyes, when the cold metal of his hands slid across her face to wipe away her tears. "I will give you free hand in Japan as my general. Name the assets you need, _any_ assets, and I will supply you with them now. Lo and behold, if your efforts are succesful and you bring Japan under my undisputed rule, your reward will be excellent. I will allow you to reign the Middle Kingdom in my name. Any of my servants will be answering to you!"

Kimiko looked up into the eyes of her Master, her hands still clenching to the jacket of his suit. Her eyes shone with new hope and determination. Mikaboshi still had faith in her, and was giving her a second chance! She would embrace that chance, and she might even use it to her own advantage! "I want Lolly Belle here! She could lead the attacks against Gaia's caerns in Hokkaido, Kyushu and Honshu, and ensure victory. Moreover I need an army for such an operation. I cannot send my First Team's or Assassin contacts, since I need them in the capital to deal with the remaining Hengeyokai opposition and forces of the other Yama Kings."

The Yama King was right about her. She understood the stategy and tactics of the Underworld better than anyone else. That quality made her extremely useful to Mikaboshi. Her Master was in a fierce competition with the other major Yama Kings to become the Demon Emperor. If Japan would fall to him, it would increase his power drastically, and the rest of the Middle Kingdom would follow soon after. The Tokyo operation was initially a preparation for the Apocalypse, by corrupting the Japanese capital.

The reward her Master offered, was enormous, but she herself had to deal with competition too. Lolly Belle was more or less like her, an Akuma in Mikaboshi's service. However, the young Kuei-jin was her biggest rival, and they had tried to secretly oust eachother multiple times. During the Apocalypse, the best way to keep an eye on the _Black Witch_, was to keep her close. And she knew all to well that Lolly Belle would hate to serve under her. It took her an effort to hide a grin from her Master, and she bit her tongue to make it disappear.

"Lolly Belle is on an errand in China at the moment, but I will recall her immediatelly. Use her as you see fit. I will provide you with a detachment of Bakemono and Banes from the Wicked City, large enough to swallow Gaia's weak opposition.", Mikaboshi answered her. Kimiko bowed even lower, and touched her head to the floor, thanking her Master. The white tiles of marmer felt cold against her forehead, but the opportunity she had been given filled her with a burning vigor. "What about the Executive Director of Pentex Tokyo? Is he still fit to play his part in the Tokyo operation, or should I take him with me to the Wicked City?" Kimiko's eyes widened, and she swallowed. "Osamu is doing his part extremely well, great Lord! I have him in complete control. There is no need to replace him.", she stuttered. She realized she needed Takashi now more than ever. She needed that mortal man, her only true friend, to keep her feet on the ground.

Mikaboshi gave her a few more instructions about the details of his plan. He urged her to be vigilant, and to anticipate attacks of other Yama Kings. They surely would choose their own champions to try and direct the outcome of the Apocalypse in their favor. Then her Master rose from her boardseat, the cold metal fingertips of his artificial arms carressing the sides of her face, forcing her eyes to meet his. "I will be closely watching your efforts from Yomi, Kimiko. Do not fail me. If you do, your suffering in my Hell will be truly legendary!" Her breath cought and icy chills ripped through her body as she saw a vision of that suffering in the eyes of the Yama King. Then he disappeared, as did the the abnormal darkness in the boardroom. Kimiko lay her head on the floortiles, weeping, saliva streaming from the corner of her mouth. After a minute she braced herself, rose, and took out a white handkerchief to clean herself up. Return to Yomi was no option. She would rather kill herself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1 – Bloodgazer**

"So you mean the Apocalypse is imminent, and you are asking us to stay here to defend the caern with you?", Miyoko Watanabe asked, still trying to comprehend the situation Ciran Far-Traveller had just discribed to them. The Grand Elder of Cherry Blossom Shrine did not respond, but only stared at her with his peaceful, convincing eyes. "I think what Miyoko is trying to say is, that we _can_ remain here for now. Atleast until our packleader, Fang Yin, arrives.", Shinobu Tanaka said, while gently laying a hand on her shoulder, probably to try and calm her.

Miyoko bit her teeth. She was calm! Well, she wasn't really. Hundreds of thoughts were clouding her mind, fighting for her attention. Where was Fang Yin at the moment? Where were Daniella and Norio? Had she been ignorant to allow their packmate to stay behind with Norio in Tokyo? And what about Quickblade? Should she go back right away, and team up with him to face the Apocalypse, despite their argument? No, her duty was with her pack. Her whole Garou life she had wondered where she would be, if the end of days came during her lifetime, and here she was... One thing she knew for sure. She would stay with Shinobu till the end.

"There is a reason why I specifically ask the two of you to stay, apart from the need to bolster the defense of our caern with any Garou and kin we can reach. Miyoko, you must be familiar with the _Scriptures of the Bloodsword_? You are a Deamon Eater after all?", Ciran said, while reaching for his teacup. Miyoko nodded, and smiled at Shinobu, who sat cross-legged next to her, frowning. Her packmate surely had never heard of the sacred writings, since she was neither a Deamon Eater nor a Kailindorian. "I know the major passages from the scriptures, yes! They are like prophecies, relating to the time of the Apocalypse, when the Zypher and Deamon Eater camps are supposed to put aside their differences to save Gaia."

Ciran nodded, as did Takeo Slicer-of-Bamboo. The Warder was no member of either camp, but he seemed to know enough about this topic to make his face look grim. The Grand Elder continued: "Altough the _Zypher_ camp and the _Heavenly Successors of the Deamon Eater_ camp argue on the right interpretation of these scriptures, they both agree on the significance of them. Miyoko, can you tell me what the passage _Band of Brothers_ says?"

Miyoko smiled, and cleared her throat."Well, it says something like this:

_When utter darkness treatens the last caern, nine chosen will come forth to cleave deep into the Womb of Evil. _

_The one that was will return to wield the Bloodsword, together. _

_The one that once served will now lead. _

_The one that was innocent will proof unmatched, practicing the lost style. _

_The one that was scarred will reclaim honour by vengeance. _

_The one that loved will sacrifice. _

_The one that was sole will again support. _

_The one that sought vengeance will find peace. _

_The one Tail will be saviour. _

_The one mountain will be humble. _

_Only united could they topple fierce generals and mighty kings."_

Miyoko couldn't hide a smile, proud as she was of being able to quote the entire passage on demand.

Ciran's response was a satisfied nod and a grateful smile. "Very good! But does this passage make sense to you? Can you explain its meaning too?" Miyoko shook her head, while the fingers of her right hand started to rub the teeth of her Vampire chain. "No, not really. It just talks about Garou defending a final caern, and nine heroes heading out to slay the enemy. But most of it is made up of riddles." Ciran fondled his beard thoughtfully. "True, they seem like incomprehensible lines, since the things they predict haven't happened yet. But I believe that now the Apocalypse has started, their meaning will be revealed to us shortly, ...if it hasn't already.", Ciran said, while glancing at his empty teacup.

Then he lifted his head, and his glance met Miyoko's and Shinobu's, one after the other. "As you might have been told by your packleader, I am able to predict any Garou's future, except my own. Normally I would ask permission before I use this gift on a fellow Garou, since the knowledge of the future could seriously affect ones decisions, for good or for worse. But these grave times force me to make haste in using my ability for the benefit of mother Gaia." The Grand Elder blinked, and when he reopened his eyes an odd mix of desperation and hope had replaced the previous peace and calm in them. His voice changed into a sad whisper. "Yesterday I began reading the future of most Garou of this sept, including Takeo's. The majority die in my visions! Moments ago, when you arrived here, I read both your futures too. Behold that you two are different, because I see not death, but life in yours!"

Miyoko swallowed, as she heard Shinobu release a yelp. "You mean to say we will survive the Apocalypse? What did you see? What will happen to us?", the Theurge uttered, while jumping to her feet. Her impulsive action shook the little bamboo table heavily and caused their teacups to fall to the floor, and roll beneath it. She reached out her hand and felt under the table to pick up the cups. Shinobu realized her own clumsyness, and dropped to her knees to help Miyoko. "Oops, sorry!", the Theurge whispered, after their heads softly bumped against eachother. She was staring at her hand. "It felt like something was crawling across my fingers just now, but I must have imagined it." A moment later the cups were back on the little table, and Miyoko was turning her attention back to Ciran.

"My visions are a glimpse of an individuals probable future. The events predicted in them will likely happen, but are not definite. If one makes certain upcoming choices differently, one would be able to change the outcome.", the Grand Elder continued. "I can not tell you whether you will survive the Apocalypse or not. I don't accactly know what will happen to you. What I saw was a group of nine, made up of Garou and Hengeyokai fighting against the odds. In your visions I could only identify three members of the group, namely the two of you, and also your packleader, Fang Yin Li." Miyoko exchanged a look with Shinobu, who seemed to be as relieved as her that their packleader was one of the survivors. "Actually, I now realize that I have seen a similar vision before, when I read Fang Yin's future last time. In her vision the two of you were blurred out, though. But I felt a strong kinship between her and three other members of this group, which I told her about."

"Well, maybe that was the reason why she suddenly decided to join our newfound friends of the Cherry Blossom Shrine pack on their trip to Shanghai?", Shinobu exclaimed. Ciran's nod confirmed the Theurge's assumption. "I did not give her the names of the members of the group in my vision, but the strong kinship must have influenced her decision to go on the trip. I am certain now that one or more members of Cherry Blossom Shrine pack belong to the nine. Moreover, I believe strongly that the nine in my vision are the nine heroes described in the _Scriptures of the Bloodsword_!"

For a little while there was only silence. Miyoko shook her head fiercely, trying to get rid of the turrent of thoughts rushing through her brain. The Apocalypse, her Silver Lotus pack being part of the heroes descripted in the sacred writings, who were the other six? She glanced at the other three Garou present in the guestroom. Ciran had closed his eyes, and it seemed like he was meditating. Takeo stared to the floor in front of him, deep in thought, and Shinobu was rubbing the little scar under her eye. "I agree with Shinobu! We should stay and wait until Fang Yin returnes to Cherry Blossom Shrine. In the meantime we will support your sept in defence of this caern."

* * *

Zkrrri crawled back into his _Sylie,_ hidden beneath the bamboo of the little table, where he would be save from detection by his Garou enemies, and their spirit allies. Only moments ago the Ananasi had left his hidingplace to kill the two Garou who had been his primary targets. But when he wanted to burry his tiny fangs into the fingers of his victims, something had stopped him abruptly.

It was a chemical sensation that could only be caused by his connection to Ume or Toru. It was a kind of message only Werespiders used. Whoever of his kin the sender was, it was clear to Zkrrri that he should abandon his assasination attempt right away. He did not hesitate, and complied with the order of his clansmen. He would withdraw for the moment, and wait patiently for the next moment to strike...

* * *

Daniella Black was staring at Yamei Sunbeam, while getting ready for bed. The chinese Stargazer sat cross-legged on the mattress next to her own, studying the sword Norio Tsuda had handed to her earlier that day.

The GlassWalker pack had offered them all a place to stay, at least for a couple of days. Norio and Ming Claw-of-Emeishan would sleep in Ainesh's bedroom, sharing it with their host. The small storage room she would share with Yamei, smelled like flour. Carton boxes filled with computer-hardware were stacked against the concrete walls surrounding their mattresses. The two piles of boxes lining the only door were filled with instant noodles. It was obvious that Ainesh and the other GlassWalkers didn't have the time to go out much, but that couldn't explain why each and every pack of noodles was the same flavour. She shook her head. These computer nerds really didn't seem to have a life?

"So you are French?", the chinese Stargazer asked her suddenly, without taking her eyes of the sword. Her fingertips slid across the beautiful Kirin on the scabbard and tsuba. "Yes, I am from Paris. I only recently arrived in Japan, and this is my first week in Tokyo.", she answered. Yamei was a member of the Heavenly Successors of the Deamon Eater camp, which made her a vampire hunter, like Norio and Miyoko. The recent death of Mouko Egami made her the most senior member, according to Norio. Daniella wondered how this woman, who dressed like a Harajuku teenager making a statement, could ever represent a violent camp like the Deamon Eaters.

"An action packed first week, filled with attacks by Werespiders and schoolgirls and deadly fights with Kuei-jin. Quickblade told me everything. But you are Black Furie, so I am not worried. Members of your tribe are known for their ability to handle themselves.", Yamei continued, lifting her head and finally glancing at Daniella. The woman had a soft, friendly voice, and her dark eyes gave her a strange feeling of comfort. It was a feeling she had noticed before, when they had shaken hands for the first time. "Well, we Black Furies are taught from a young age, that we should not depend on men to defend us and everything we value. We should be able to hold our own. I have been doing my work back in France, living by myself for quite a while, until I met my current pack."

"I've never been to Paris. I've never even been to the West, actually. I wouldn't mind visiting your city sometime?! Anyways, it's time to sleep.", Yamei said, while laying the sword on the floor in between their mattresses. Then she rose and casually took off her drawstring jacket, stepped out of her skirt, and calmly slid down her leggings. Daniella froze and stared with open mouth at the detailed full body tattoo that was gradually revealed to her. Her eyes followed the colourfull ink from Yamei's anckles, along her upper legs to her hips. When the chinese Stargazer took off her top, the Black Furie glanced upward at the beautiful greenish and reddish figures that covered her belly, breasts and shoulders. Yamei noticed her stare, and a kind, playful smile formed on her face. "You like?"

Daniella had seen Garou wear all kinds of tattoo's on their skin, but never anything like this. "Are you yakuza?", she whispered, still studying the mystical lines and figures on the woman's naked body. "No, ofcourse I am no yakuza. _Horimono_ is a form of art here in Japan, and some Garou, like some ordinary people, choose to embrace it. My tattoo's tell a tale about me and my camp." Yamei pointed her finger at the figure of a woman wielding two swords, covering her chest and breasts. The figure seemed to rise out of the open mouth of a beast with a lion's head, goat body and snake tail, on her belly. "That is you, isn't it?", Daniella exclaimed. "Yes, this is me wielding my twin Wakizashi. The creature down here is our Tribal Totem, Chimera.", Yamei answered, her finger sliding down to the beast's head. Then she sat down on her knees in front of Daniella, turning to show her bare back. The Black Furie stared at the tattooed figure of a fierce Garou, wielding a blue-and-gold katana. "That sword... It is so similar to the one Norio gave you!", she whispered, while pointing at the weapon between their mattresses. "Yes, you have sharp eyes! The tattoo on my back depicts the honourable Atsushi Bloodgazer wielding _Makoto_!"

Daniella frowned while the chinese Stargazer turned to face her. Merde, the woman sat so close to her now. Moreover, she suddenly noticed how beautiful she was. "So... that sword belongs to that Garou? Who is he to you, to have him tattooed on your entire back?", she managed to ask. The Black Furie blushed when Yamei answered her with a smile, and she realized that she had been staring at the woman's bare breasts. "You may touch if you want to!", Yamei said, and she gently caught the Black Furie's hand, laying it on her chest. Daniella felt a shiver going through her spine and butterflies fill her stomach, when her fingers slid across Yamei's skin.

Then the chinese Stargazer leaned forward while closing her eyes, and their lips touched. She felt how the woman placed the palm of her right hand tenderly on her left cheek. She felt Yamei's tongue slide inside her mouth. Daniella felt overwhelmed by the sudden intimacy with this total stranger, but awkwardly enough she didn't object to it. There was something about this woman that made her feel comfortable and save. It was a feeling like a crush, but much more intense than any previous experiences she had had. Had she fallen in love with this woman? She finally closed her eyes, and gave in to her yearning.

"Amazing, it has been centuries since I've been kissed like that. I could actually feel the passion between the two of you! Oh, how have I missed that..." Daniella's eyes opened wide with shock, the moment she heard the male voice coming from Yamei's throat, and she frantically crawled away from the Stargazer. "Fils de pute! Are you a man? What is going on?", she cursed, while resting her back against the pile of boxes lining the mattress. Yamei's face showed a mix of guilt and worry, and she sat up straight, making gestures to try and calm her. "I am so sorry! I try to keep him out of these situations, but the emotions must have touched him too! We have an agreement that he will not take over unless I request it." "Ta gueule! Who the hell are you talking about?" The woman folded her hands in front of her apologetically. "The voice was Atsushi Bloodgazer's! He is the past-life of my honorable ancestor. His spirit is one with me. I should have told you before. I didn't mean to scare you like this, Daniella. I am truly sorry!"

* * *

Norio Tsuda studied Ming Claw-of-Emeishan, while he placed _Goji_ on the floor between them. The Khan sat cross-legged opposite him, studying the sword with great interest. Ming was taller than the average chinese man, certainly taller than Norio himself. If his asian facial features wouldn't give him away, he could easily be mistaken for a Gaijin. But he seemed to have a gentle disposition, and was very knowledgeable. Norio had met other Khan before, but there was something different about Ming. He felt there were many similarities between him and the tall Weretiger.

Yamei Sunbeam had told him that she had met Ming only recently, during a Kuei-jin hunt in southwest China. He had proven a reliable ally and an able warrior. Many Khan spend their lives hunting the undead, which made them in a way quite similar to the Deamon Eaters of the Stargazer tribe. Moreover, this Weretiger preferred to venture on his own, packless, just like Norio chose to live.

"May I touch it?", Ming asked, meeting Norio's eyes. The Stargazer answered him by nodding, and gesturing to the weapon with the upward palm of his right hand. The Khan picked the Katana up slowly with both hands, and studied the spirits of nature carved on the scabbard and tsuba. "Truly a magnificent sword you have.", mister Tsuda. Norio shrugged. "No need to be so polite. Since you are a friend of Yamei, you can call me Quickblade.", he said, while receiving the cup of tea Ainesh offered him. Ming responded with a nod and a grateful smile, and placed the Katana gently back on the floor.

"Yamei told me that you carry an extraordinary weapon yourself, Ming. Can you show it to me?", he continued, while drinking his tea. The Weretiger nodded, and opened the long cloth vessel that lay next to him on the floor. Norio's eyes widened when it revealed a halberd-like weapon. "This is _Green Dragon_, the crescent blade I wield." The Khan offered his weapon to Norio, and the latter took it from him eagerly. The crecent blade or guandao was rather heavy, and he actually had difficulty lifting it with both hands. "It must be hard to wield a large weapon like this, especially in small or confined spaces. Isn't it exhausting?" Ming shook his head in response. "When you practice regularly, it becomes easy to handle. Actually I've gotten quite used to its weight, and I like it's effectiveness. It has a greater reach than the average sword or spear, and its blow is so destructive, that it can take the heads of multiple powerful Bakemono or Kuei-jin with one well-aimed strike.

Norio frowned and let his fingers slide across the cold, dusty metal of the crecent blade. Like _Goji_, it's surface was partly decorated, namely with a carved design of flowers and a dragon's head. "It seems to be a very old weapon, Ming. How did you come by it, if I may ask?", he said, while handing it back to its owner. The Weretiger took it and pointed at the dragon head carving, before putting it back in the cloth vessel. "I inherited _Green Dragon_ from my ancestor. It once belonged to general Guan Yu, who served Liu Bei in his efforts to restore the Han dynasty in ancient China. There are more Khan wielding crecent blades in my country, but mine surely is the oldest around." Norio nodded thoughtfully. He knew a little bit about China and its history and culture from Yamei, and tried to picture the famous general from the Three Kingdoms period as a Weretiger. The Khan truly had an impressive lineage in mainland China.

"Your friend is an fierce warrior and a trustworthy ally!", Ming suddenly spoke, while meeting his eyes. "I have seen her wield her twin swords. I too have met the ancestor spirit called Bloodgazer. The two of them are like one, and when he fights in her place, heaven and earth shake." Norio nodded in agreement. Yamei Sunbeam was quite a remarkable Garou. She was the only Deamon Eater who wielded two swords, having mastered the Kenjutsu style called _Niten ichi_. Her twin Wakizashi, named _xingku_ and _xingfu_, were exceptional weapons. Yamei was often compared to the late Mouko Egami, but instead of openly representing the Heavenly Successors of the Deamon Eater camp, she preferred to live reclusive. She was known to travel too and fro, hunting Kuei-jin tirelessly in both China and Japan. But her connection with their ancestor spirit Atsushi Bloodgazer was the most fascinating of all. Bloodgazer, the most reknown Deamon Eater of all time, and the only Garou who could wield a Katana in Crinos Form, accompanied her like a permanent ally. The tattoo of the past life she carried on her back was a mere token of her deep appreciation for his company. Norio couldn't help grinning. Too bad Miyoko had just left Tokyo. It would have been great to have both her and Yamei to team up with for a hunt...


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2 - Namebreaker's den**

Arjuna glanced up at the UFO shaped top of the skyscraper he had been assigned to watch the past two days. The akward bowl, looming 60 stories high above him, was one of the typical shapes of architecture he used to determine his location in the broad city center. Shanghai's skyline was filled with luxuriant crowns, pointy spires, and gleaming saucers. He had learned to use tall buildings for travel, like sailors of old had used the stars. It was a common thing to city dwellers like himself.

During his last visit to this city, the UFO shaped top had harboured a revolving restaurant owned by some Asian hotelchain, but his BoneGnawler friends had informed him that it had changed hands about a year ago. According to Yubi, their Kitsune ally, the top floors were now in the hands of one of the Triads, called the _Jade Sanctuary_. The Werefox had also revealed to them that the leader of this Triad was a Mage called Old Ru. This Namebreaker seemed to be the one responsible for the death of Ya the Kind, the kidnapping of Garou cubs, and providing renegade Garou, like Jongeirr Slays the Weak, with a refuge. There seemed to be no alternative to invading his den and putting an end to his evil practices.

"Arjuna. Can I ask you something?" The voice of Aiko Rin Fuse startled him, and he glanced to his left. The young girl, who had been assisting him during this steakout, sat on the curb, staring up at him. "Do you believe that dreams are real?", she asked, while placing her hands on the pavement behind her and leaning backwards. He shook his head and frowned at her. "Well, it depends. Not all dreams are real. But I have heard Theurges mention that some are. Sometimes spirits use dreams to contact us Garou, and some dreams predict the future or show a glimpse of the past. However, I am Ragabash and don't know much about this stuff. Why don't you ask Ryota? Our packleader is Theurge." Aiko Rin nodded thoughtfully, while glancing up at the UFO shape looming high above them. "I just might. Thank you for your answer, big brother."

He noticed Bojing and Chiaki Hasekura on the other side of the busy street, making their way toward him. His ally, the BoneGnawler, had volunteered to help them with the surveillance. Bojing's sept had been on good terms with Ya the Kind, and her death and the missing cubs had caused outrage among its members. They would not be participating in the actual invasion of the Triads headquarters, however. Superstition about the Namebreaker's possible wrath forbid the BoneGnawlers to openly confront this Triad. But any information they could supply him with would surely be valuable.

Chiaki gave him one of those sweet smiles only she could give, causing him to feel butterflies in his stomach. The blue-eyed Stargazer had only just returned from an assignment to take out the Triad's main assassin. She, along with Fang Yin, Njal and Yubi, had managed to find and finally kill the tainted Werefox, but the assassin's trickery had nearly cost them their lives. Arjuna had been occupied with surveillance duty, and he felt guilty for not having been able to spend more time with his love the past few days. He felt like throwing his arms around her, lifting her into the air and kissing her on the lips, but he knew that would be the most foolish thing he could do. Too many Garou had found out about their forbidden relationship already. Instead, he answered her with a respecful nod, and forced his eyes away from her. It proved harder every time, especially since it was against his nature to hide the truth. And...dear Gaia, she was so beautiful!

Bojing lit a cigarette and commenced reporting his observations. Arjuna had some difficulty interpreting the man's heavy Shanghai dialect. Ever since Chiaki, Aiko Rin and Ryota had joined him in Shanghai a week ago, their temporary coalition had grown, and it had become his duty to negotiate and translate as best he could. The BoneGnawlers mostly spoke the local chinese dialect, which was very different from the national language. Fang Yin spoke mandarin chinese as well as japanese, but Yubi only spoke mandarin. None of his japanese packmates spoke mandarin. Most of them spoke a bit of English, however only Fang Yin and himself could speak it fluently. Fluently, if you didn't count the obvious chinese and japanese accent. The Get of Fenris' packmembers spoke english in general, and some northern european dialect among themselves. They seemed to feel a natural resentment toward oriental languages. But in the end he thought he was managing quite well. No fights had broken out yet, anyways!

"I just got a phonecall from Boqin. He confirmed that the Namebreaker and his entourage arrived by car, about 15 minutes ago. They entered the building through the garage's back entrance. If your plan is to catch him, this would be the right moment to mobilize.", Bojing said, while exhaling the smoke from his first drag. Arjuna nodded, and took out his cellphone to call Ryota Higoshi. The packleader of Cherry Blossom Shrine pack answered the call within seconds. Ryota, Fang Yin and Thorvald, leader of the Get of Fenris pack, were standing by, planning the final details of the operation. "Arjuna, what is the latest information you have for us?", the old Theurge inquired. "Our main targets are inside. I just got confirmation from our allies on the other side of the complex. My advise is that we go in now, boss.", he answered. It was silent on the other end of the line for a moment, but Arjuna could vaguely hear the voices of the three leaders discussing the matter. "Arjuna, you have a green light! Enter through the New World department store to avoid suspicion. We will all meet at the ninth floor elevators. From there we will all march in together." Arjuna confirmed after which he ended the call and turned to Chiaki and Aiko Rin.

"We have a go! We will enter through the department store and meet the others at the ninth floor. Are you both ready?" Aiko Rin rose, dusted off the seat of her pants, and smiled at him. "I guess I am ready, big brother!", she answered him, but there was no cheerfulness in either her voice or her smile. He wondered if the confrontation with Njal in Jade Buddha Temple was still affecting her. The Get of Fenris beating her up like that, must have been a huge blow to her selfconfidence. His eyes fell on a minivan, with the name _Jiangnan Application Services unlimited_ printed in chinese characters on the side, driving past them. He was sure he had seen that car before, or maybe a similar one. The traffic passing through this main street was extremely busy, and there must be many companies using small vans as a means of transport.

"If you are ready, I am too!", Chiaki said, while walking up to him. She looked up at him, and her beautiful blue eyes gleamed. "Baby, I have missed you so much. If we come out of this alive, I want you alone!", she whispered. Arjuna shrugged, and finally was able to answer her with a awkward nod. He shook his head, and turned to Bojing. "Thank you very much for all your help! If all goes well, I hope to visit you and your sept sometime soon. After the usual courtesies, he led Chiaki and Aiko Rin into the department store across the road.

* * *

Delun signalled the driver of the minivan to pull over and stop near a side entrance of the New World department store. He turned and glanced across his shoulder at his fellow squadmembers. Each one of them was geared up and armed to the teeth. Dai, a tall, broad-shouldered giant carried a QBZ-95 assault rifle, but his main weapon was his bionic right arm. The steel limb could shatter the bones of a Crinos Garou with a single strike. Xiaoyu, the petite woman next to him, was inspecting the ammo cartridge of her QSZ-92 semi-automatic pistol. Her unique ability, however, was what made her such a deadly addition to his squad. A small electronic device implanted in the back of her skull enabled her to teleport at will. The Snow Wolf Commando Unit was a counter-terrorism squad, but particularly well trained in eliminating _shen_. Each member had been taken part in the secretive _Strike Force Zero_ training program, and had become a member of its chinese branch.

The moment the minivan stopped, Delun made a small, obvious handgesture, ordering his squadmembers into action. One of them opened the side-door, and the others quickly exited the vehicle, rushing into the building. Delun nodded a final time at the driver, after which he himself jumped out, circled the minivan, following his squad inside. The moment he entered the department store, their vehicle was already out of sight.

* * *

Aiko Rin Fuse was leaning against the glass balustrade of the ninth floor, staring down the inner court of the New World department store. While she pretended to count the floors from the bottom to the top, she tried to remember accactly what the ancestor spirit in her dream had told her. The first time he had appeared, three nights ago, she had not taken his message seriously. But when he had reappeared last night, asking her for help as well as warning her for possible danger, she had realized that this was anything but a normal dream!

"Aiko Rin, are you ok? You seem so quiet today." The familiar voice made her turn to her right, where she found Chiaki Hasekura frowning at her. The Gaillard had been very kind and helpful to her ever since she had joined Cherry Blossom Shrine pack. Altough the two of them were in no way related, she regarded Chiaki as her elder sister. The blue-eyed Stargazer was just four years older than her, but she was much more experienced and so much more mature. The way Chiaki and big brother Arjuna continued their relationship, despite all the heavy criticism of their much respected big sister Fang Yin, was a great example of the latter. She probably would never be able to hold on to love, when there was so much pressure from friends and packmates to end it. But what did she know about love anyways?

"I am fine, thank you, elder sister.", she answered, but she realized it did not sound very convincing. "Chiaki, you told me once about our ancestor, Aki Floating Leaf, in a song... What kind of Garou was he?" Chiaki's frown changed into a smile. "Aki Floating Leaf is one of the greatest Stargazers of all time. He was born into the _Peaceful Voice of Zypher_ sept, and spend his youth at Cherry Blossom Shrine. In his later years he became a hermit on Mount Asahidake. He is said to have been a great Kailindorian, who developed his own style, called _Pure Water_. The style was lost after his death. It surprises me that you don't know much about him, since you are a practitioner of Kailindo yourself?"

Chiaki got distracted by the arrival of Ryota Higoshi, Fang Yin and their other allies. The group exiting the elevator a couple of meters away, was truly a colourful collection of nationalities, Tribal heritage and appearance. The blue-eyes Stargazer excused herself and rushed toward their packleader, who was commencing a conversation with Arjuna. Aiko Rin just smiled, looked down into the inner court, and turned her attention to the people on the bottom floor. They were merely little dots. Innocent bystanders, who were too busy doing their everyday thing, ignorant of the upcoming skirmish that would ensue nine levels above their heads. Her eye fell on a group of eight dots, that seemed to move in an almost perfect line. She was too far away to make out particulars, but it was clear they were together. Maybe they were policemen or security guards on patrol? She didn't think much of it, and turned her attention back to her packmates and allies.

She glanced at the Fenrir, who stood a couple of meters apart from her own packmates. Three of the Garou were tall caucasian men, dressed in sweater and jeans. They had left their long raincoats and jackets behind, since it was rediculous to wear them in this type of weather. Instead they had brought shoulderbags, which Fang Yin and Yubi had acquired for them. Trendy but cheap, and large enough to conceal their small battle axes in public. The fourth Get of Fenris, Helge, was of Lupus breed. The grey-white furred wolf-dog looked similar to other dogs kept by chinese residents of this city, but a clear look at his fierce eyes betrayed the relationship to his kin. She shivered, when she noticed Njal was staring at her. The dream about the ancestor spirit had helped her forget the way the Ahroun had humiliated her in the Temple. She quickly turned her eyes away from him.

"Aiko Rin, are you still afraid of him?", Fang Yin said, while laying her hands softly on her cheeks. Aiko Rin didn't even attempt to hide her gloomy expression. It made no sense to hide her fears for her big sister, who had so bravely stepped forward to defend her in a time of need. "Well, if you are, you should not be! He has been taught a lesson, and if he should ever try again, I will kill him." Fang Yin's determined eyes backed up her words 100%, as she promptly glanced at Njal. The Get of Fenris' eyes actually widened for a short moment, after which he seemed to turn his attention to his packmates. Her big sister had just won a staredown with a Fenrir! She truly was a dominant leader, altough not the obvious stereotype kind. "Fang Yin, what do you know about the _Pure water_ style?

* * *

Yubi followed her allies quietly through the 9th floor hallway of the skyscrapers inner court. The Silent Strider led the party, guarded by the four fierce looking Get of Fenris. The Stargazers, Ryota and Chiaki, followed close behind them, and Fang Yin, Aiko Rin and herself made up the rear. There were less people in the hallway compared to the corridors of the deparment store behind them, but the chances of walking into Triad scouts here had increased significantly.

She was no expert on Triads, but she had gathered enough information about them lately to make her extremely cautious. The _Jade Sanctuary_ had members from all layers of chinese society and eyes everywhere. They were organized in a structure where loyalty was enforced strictly by the leadership. The leadership consisted of a group of powerful _shen_, who used their deadly magic to perform rites and punishment on friend and foe to increase their grip on society. The Elders of _Inari's Messengers_ had warned her specifically about the Namebreaker, Old Ru. 'The Preacher' was said to be a servant of _Tou Mu_, one of the Yama Kings, but any creature of Gaia who could have verified such a claim, would surely long be dead. Their victory over Yong 'Leaps through Mists' was a significant blow to the Namebreakers power, but the death of the Kitsune assassin didn't mean much if 'the Iron Empress' was truly involved.

This was not the first time Yubi had teamed up with Garou, but it was surely the first time she had witnessed so many of them together. Previously her view of Garou had been rather stereotype, she had to admit. Spending the past week with this colourful coalition of the willing had made her realize how much each Garou differed from the another.  
Fang Yin had impressed her the most. The Stargazer with the white streak in her hair had earned her respect with the actions she had taken. She seemed to have a good sense of responsibility and had the potential to become a great leader. She was and would never be a Kitsune, but she came close for a Garou. Chiaki, the blue-eyed Garou, was still young and surely not a warrior, but she had proven to be brave and reliable. Arjuna, the Silent Strider, was a great scout. He knew his way around the city, seemed to have allies everywhere, and could speak many languages. Aiko Rin was only a little cub, but she showed great promise. With the right guidance the Stargazer girl could become a legend among Garou warriors. The Get of Fenris came closest to the stereotype image. They were mostly ignorant, self-centered, violent and vain. But even among them she had noticed some individual characteristics, that made them unique and vulnerable in a way. Anyways, stereotype Garou were the easiest to manipulate.

"Yubi, you master a gift to make yourself invisible, am I correct?" She turned her attention to Fang Yin, who was walking to her right. It amused her how well she and the Stargazer could communicate. It was not just the fact that they both were chinese. They also thought very much alike, and a few words were often enough for them to understand eachother completely. Normally she would see that as a threat, but Fang Yin was an exception. "Well, yes. The gift you refer to is called _Moon Dance_. Why do you ask?"

Fang Yin nodded thoughtfully, and gestured to Aiko Rin who was walking just ahead of them. "It seems like Aiko Rin had a premonition of something we are about to face. She has had a recurring dream in which an ancestor-spirit warned her about the Namebreaker and his vast powers. The spirit has offered to help us defeat him, but he is trapped somewhere in the Triad's den. If you can reach him undetected, using your gift, you might be able to free him!"

Yubi grinned. "Why do I get the impression that you haven't got much faith in our fierce strongmen over there?" Fang Yin ignored her remark for the moment. She was staring at three men that seemed to stand guard in front of the elevators to the upper floors of the skyscraper. When the men noticed that their party planned to use the elevators, they dispersed. One of the men took out a cellphone, and made a call. The second man turned and made his way to the elevator, while the third man engaged them. "I am sorry, but you cannot use the elevator! The upper floors are property of the _Jade Sanctuary_. Only acquaintances in possession of a membershipcard are allowed to enter.", he said, clearly adressing Arjuna and not the Fenrir. The four Garou didn't wait for the Silent Strider to respond. The wolf-dog rushed foward toward the man with the cellphone. Njal pursued the second man, drawing his small axes in the process. Thorvald, the leader of the Get of Fenris pack, grabbed the mediator by his throat with his huge hands and lifted him into the air, after which he dropped him on the floor with a show of force. A moment later the opposition was no more, and their party entered the elevators, making their way up to the den.

"Let's just say that I do not believe that raw violence and pure physical power is the answer to every problem. I am happy these fierce strongmen, as you call them, fight on our side, but if by any chance their vanguard fails, I want us to be prepared.", Fang Yin finally answered her. The Stargazer and her spoke Mandarin chinese, but after Fang Yin's rather mocking answer Yubi couldn't help glancing across her shoulder at Njal. The tall Garou with the braids in his brown hair answered her stare with a fierce look, that forced an unwanted shiver across her spine. When she turned to Fang Yin again, she noticed the woman's determined glance, which seemed to be directed at the Fenrir. This truly amused her. "I will do as you ask, Stargazer! Just tell me where the spirit is trapped, and how I can free it... I owe you, since I have earned my fourth tail only thanks to your kind help!", she whispered with a smile.

* * *

Fang Yin Li braced herself when the elevator doors opened at the top floor of the skyscraper. The Fenrir were the first to enter the revolving restaurant, followed by Arjuna and Ryota. Enok, Njal, and Helge had actually been pushing and shoving in an effort to be the first to enter the new battleground. It took an angry snarl and a commanding stare from Thorvald to keep them in check and restore discipline. The leader of the _Hand of Tyr_ warband eventually was the first to exit the cabin. Clenching his large silver battle axe in both hands, he rushed across the carpet, while his single, greyish braid dangled in the air behind him. The shoulderbag that had hidden his weapon from plain view uptil now, lay abandoned on the floor. The need for stealth seemed to have disappeared. A violent confrontation was imminent.

She didn't worry much about the men, though, regardless of what would happen in the minutes to come. She didn't worry much about Yubi either. The Kitsune gave her a friendly nod, after which she vanished from plain sight, preparing to search for the ancestor spirit. Fang Yin worried most about the two young women who stood next to her, hesitating and somehow expecting her to tell them what to do. "What are you waiting for? Let's keep up with the others. Stay near me and watch eachothers back, ok?.", she whispered, while giving them a confident look. Then she rushed after the men.

The revolving restaurant must truly be one of the best places to get a complete view of the city's skyline. The outer wall was dominated by the large, double-layer glass windows, that circled the entire UFO-like structure. The interior, which had once been a public restaurant, had been partly refurnished and redecorated by the Triad. Their symbols, signs and attributes were prominently present, mixed with and sometimes replacing the original furniture pieces. They first crossed a small lobby-like area with a receptiondesk. The name of the Triad was depicted in chinese characters on a large, antique-looking redwood sign, fastened just above it.  
The three triadmembers who supposedly had been guarding the little lobby, lay lifeless on the floor. Like their collegues near the entrance of the elevator, they too had been no match for the rabid Get of Fenris. But Fang Yin realized that their advantage might change into a disadvantage when mortal guards with guns and knifes would be replaced with Mages, Fomori, Kuei-jin or whatever was waiting for them in the next room. She hurried past the heavy redwood door that hung in an awkward position, clearly forced out of its hinges, and entered the actual restaurant.

"That's what I saw in my dream, big sister! Aki Floating Leaf is trapped inside one of those!" Fang Yin glanced at the chinese painting, which Aiko Rin was pointing at. The old paper scroll, depicting a woman in grief, was only one of dozens decorating the inner wall of what seemed like a restaurant. Studying the first three paitings made her frown. There seemed to be no scenery or character scrolls at all, which was rather strange according to chinese custom. Each and every painting depicted a creature in distress, whether a human or a shen. Studying the creature's expressions gave her the clear feeling that they had been forcebly confined in some way. She nodded toward Aiko Rin, and whispered for Yubi.

"Yubi, listen. The ancestor-spirit must be locked inside one of those paintings. I ask you to free him. How you do that is up to you, but make haste. We might need his help very soon." Fang Yin looked left and right to see if the Werefox had heard her, but a soft pat on her right shoulder was the only confirmation of Yubi's presence. "Chiaki! Chiaki, wait for us!", Aiko Rin suddenly exclaimed. Fang Yin then noticed the Gaillard rushing ahead in the direction the male Garou had gone. "Calm down, little sister. We will catch up with her.", she said reassuringly, and they made haste to catch up with the others.

* * *

Chiaki Hasekura ran across the carpet, dodging the chairs and tables in her path. She ignored the calls of her younger packmate, and tried to concentrate on the scene ahead. Arjuna, her love, was with Ryota and the Fenrir, and he was in probable danger. Whatever might happen, she knew that her place in this battle was next to him! Too much time had been lost on finding this ancestor spirit. Ofcourse she would love to see this Aki Floating Leaf in person sometime. What selfrespecting Gaillard would not be interested in meeting a legendary Garou, who's name was mentioned in so many ancient songs? But that time was not now!

She jumped across the body of a guard that had been put out of action by her allies. A gun lay unused on the floor, not far from him. Two young women, possibly waitresses, ran past her in the opposite direction. It couldn't be far now! When she had run halfway around the restaurant, another door came into view. It was shut, and when she impatiently laid her hands on the handle she noticed it had been locked from the inside. She released a desperate howl, and pulled agressively but to no avail. The men must have been trapped. Arjuna must be trapped!

"Well, well, well... What have we here? This young lady seems to have _missed the boat_." The sudden heavy voice took Chiaki by surprise, and she turned around to face whoever was the source of it. She had to look up to meet the eyes of a giant Garou, who seemed to have appeared out of thin air. She stared wide-eyed and full of disbelieve at the enormous size of the creature. Not even Njal was this tall, and he was surely the tallest Garou she had ever met! The newcomer had a pelt of dark brownish fur, which was maimed in several places by deep scars, which made her wonder how he had managed to survive them. His giant paws could easily envelop her entire head, and tear it off like a ripe peach, if he chose to. He had spoken in plain english, but his heavy accent made her think of the European dialect the Fenrir spoke among themselves.

When a second Garou appeared next to the giant, clearly passing the gauntlet, she realized this could only be an ambush. The two of them must have been hiding in the Umbra, to avoid the Fenrir. This Werewolf's size was less imposing than the first, but he was still taller than the average Stargazer of her sept. His pelt's colour was a shiny black, as if the fur had been combed with oil. She first noticed the long, gold chain around his neck, when it gleamed in the light of the spots on the ceiling. When his right paw touched it for a moment, the shackles seemed to grow in some strange way. "Jongeirr assigned us to guard the way out, and to take care of any possible leftovers. That means we can do with her as we please, Brent!", he said, while studying her intensivelly. Saliva was dripping from the corners of his muzzle, and she felt violated by the way he looked at her. "Let's see if she is as obedient as most of the other women in this continent. Maybe she will make a nice wife, Severin?, the giant replied. The black furred Garou grinned wickedly. "None of that, Brent. I will make her my pet!"

An odd mix of cold fear and intense fury swept through Chiaki's body, causing a surge of rage. She feared for Arjuna, and all the things that might be happening to him and the others in the next room. She was angry at the two Garou, for choosing to work with the old Mage and thus serving the evil Wyrm. She feared the Garou called Serverin, and dispised the way he stared at her. Respectless, as if she was a piece of meat! While her human body transformed into its Werewolf Form, she released a loud howl of defiance. The gift, called _Call of the Wyld_, would reach every creature on this floor, and alarm it of impending danger. Glancing passed her two opponents, she caught a glimpse of Fang Yin and Aiko Rin rushing around the corner. The next moment she felt the impact of the giant's claw against her muzzle, and she stumbled backward until her back hit the door. She could see the second Garou swing something at her, and then felt the gold chain wrapping itself around her neck, like a metal snake.

Chiaki managed to thrust her paws between the golden shackles, and tried to tear the chain apart with all the strenght in her Crinos body. But the Fetish seemed unbreakable. The more she struggled, the more it choked her, preventing her from breathing, until she finally gave up her resistance. She dropped to her knees, letting her arms fall helplessly in her lap. There was nothing she could do, but wait for her friends to free her. Exhausted she glanced at the owner of the golden chain, the black furred Garou. "My name is Severin Lurks-the-young of the Get of Fenris. Me and my friend, Brent Dahlstrom, welcome you to the Swords of Heimdall. You will come with us, and I will show you my world and your place in it!", he whispered in her ear, his paw lifting her chin up. His triomfant grin took away the final bubble of Rage entrenched in her mind, and the last thing she felt was, how her body shifted back into human Form. Then she passed out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3 - The Competition**

Lolle Belle smirked when she spotted the white Toyota Century sedan among the busy traffic passing through the main street of Shibuya ward. It took a little while before the car's manouvers resulted in a stop along the sidewalk not far from her, causing a small traffic jam in the process. The door of the passenger seat next to the driver opened, and a man in a dark suit came out to open the backdoor. A second man exited the car on the street side, circling it while making his way to the sidewalk, where he took position. He glanced to and fro, studying the throngs of pedestrians passing by, when the main passenger finally appeared.

Kimiko Hinaru seemed to like draping herself in the luxuries the Pentex corporation offered her. The woman wore a white skirt-suit of expensive leather and dark sunglasses of some significant brand. She carried a small, fashionable Laptop bag, which was white with a flowery design. The sedan, her company car, was the kind of car either used by CEO's of the mayor companies in japanese capital or by important Yakuza members. The men accompanying her were security guards specialized in keeping the corporation's Executives save, which must mean they at least had had some training in confronting shapeshifters and undead.

Lolle Belle had first met Kimiko well before the woman had joined Pentex, when both of them had only just been 'reborn' as Kuei-jin. Their stories were actually quite similar; both of them had pledged loyalty to _Mikaboshi_, _Lord of the Wicked city_, and both had established themselves as the Yama King's senior Akuma in a relative short period of time. But they had done so independently, using their own prefered method. In the process most of their competitors had either been assassinated by them or ousted by Mikaboshi himself. The truth was that Kimiko and her were entirely different in every way. Lolle Belle followed the way of domination by force and agression. In her opinion a direct confrontation would solve a problem before it could vester and grow. Kimiko, however, was a careful planner, who preffered to use any tools at her desposal to complete a specific goal _for_ her. These tools could be assassin clans, First Teams, manipulated foes or even allies. Kimiko rarely came out of her boardroom to solve a problem in person, but when she did she could be deadly.

"White Angel of Death, it seems you are doing well lately?! I assume_ he_ has finally made his choice and put _you_ in charge. I came as fast as I could to report for duty, my dear!", Lolle Belle said, while making a small bow with her head. She made sure it could hardly be interpreted as more than a exaggerated nod. Kimiko wasn't amused by her mockery, though. "Save me your sarcasm, Lolle Belle. We both have much to disguss and to plan. And if you mention my nickname in public one more time, you will be sorry!" Lolle Belle managed to shape her despising grin into a neutral smile, while she turned her attention to the two security guards. Her gleaming, black earrings, shaped in the form of tiny churchbells, softly chimed, when she nodded toward them.

"Did you really need to bring those two? You _do_ realize that they are of no use against me?" Kimiko gave her a neutral look, which managed to parry her sarcasm in a surprisingly effective way. If there was one thing she was jealous of, it was the way how Kimiko could hide her own emotions, while manipulating the ones of others. "In this city many factions stir and lurk in dark corners, waiting their turn to take a jab at the likes of us. The guards are here to protect me _and_ you as a first line of defense. I have no kwarrel with you, Lolle Belle, except ofcourse if you intend to start one?! In that case, let's get it over with here and now! _Itaime-ni_?!" The woman in white held a long fingernail against her wrist, and gave her a determined look.

Lolle Belle knew all to well what her rival was capable of. Kimiko was a master of _Blood Shintai_, and few who had faced her _Blood whip_ in a one on one confrontation were still alive to talk about it. The scar on the left side of her throat was a constant reminder of the humiliation she had gone through in the only direct brawl that had ever taken place between them. Mikaboshi had been furious when he had found out. He had made it very clear to both of them that another skirmish like it would not be tolerated, regardless who started it. She was determined to get her revenge, though, but she had to be patient. Their Yama King's plans to initiate the Apocalypse had changed matters for the worse. The fact that he had chosen Kimiko as his general, and Kimiko had chosen her as her deputy field-commander, only ensured the status-quo. Kimiko could not afford to kill her, or she would fail in her mission. Lolle Belle could not kill Kimiko either, since that would screw up the plans of the Yama King she served, envoking his wrath. But her time of vengeance would come eventually, she was sure.

"What did you say you were working on in China, before you were summoned here?", Kimiko asked suddenly, without changing the neutral expression on her face. The question infuriated Lolle Belle, not just because it was none of the woman's business, but also because of the use of the word 'summoned'. The word clearly suggested that her own mission had been inferior to Kimiko's, and thus it implied that she was too. The thought of this being rather close to the truth, made it even worse. Lolle Belle had been assigned months ago with the task of forging an alliance with _Tou Mu_, another Yama King with a strong powerbase in mainland China. Since _the Iron Empress_ had a personal hatred toward Kuei-jin, she had had to look for one of her more moderate minions. She had managed to befriend a powerful Namebreaker in Shanghai, and had nearly forged an alliance through him. But then the mission had been put on hold, since she was needed in Tokyo.

"Let's cut all the bullshit, White Angel of Death! I came here tonight, because I was ordered so directly by Mikaboshi. What I have been doing in China is my business and mine alone. I suggest we start talking about our plans for the Apocalypse, or I will leave rightnow!" Kimiko showed a slight frown, that was quickly replaced by a grin and a nod.

"Within days I will stage an unpresidented attack in this city, that will set off the Apocalypse. Deadly creatures from the 1000 hells will roam the streets, and chaos will ensue. In the meantime I expect _you_ to destroy the major caerns held by Garou and Hengeyokai outside the capital. Without those caerns, and the septs that protect them, Gaia's forces will not be able to muster a significant opposition. That will give us an opportunity to concentrate our full forces on breaking the final resistance of the competition.", Kimiko said, while handing her a small flash-drive. "All the information you need about the caerns and their location, is on this drive. An army from the Wicked city should be awaiting you near Mount Fuji. You are allowed to choose your own battleplan and your own commanders, as long as you take out those caerns within the designated timeframe."

"I already picked my commanders, and spare me your lecture about battleplans. You picked me as your deputy, because you know that I am the best when it comes to handling large formations of Bakemono and laying seige. Consider those caerns done for!", Lolle Belle interrupted her rival. She noticed she had been rubbing one of the tiny churchbell earrings between her fingers, and forced her right hand down. Kimiko was really getting on her nerfs, and it would be better to leave before she might slap the woman in the face and cause something she would forever regret. A final glance at the two mortal guards made her grin, and she turned to disappear in the crowd.

"Lolle Belle! Remember that this is not a game. If one of us fails, we both will. An eternity in Mikaboshi's hell you would not wish for your worst enemy?!", Kimiko called after her, trying not to yell but still making sure she would hear. If the woman only knew how wrong she was. If she would play her cards right and keep it together, Kimiko would be in the Yama king's hell soon enough!

* * *

Eri followed Susumu through the throngs of people shopping in the busy streets of Shinjuku ward. The girl was always happy to be of service, which showed in the way she was happily leaping about, like a child who had been promised an icecream after completing an errand. Anywhere else Susumu would have stood out with her long dark-blue puppetdress, big white ribbon and blue-dyed hair. But here in the center of Tokyo her GothLoli style actually helped her blend in more. The japanese capital was a strange mix of extremes; peaceful meditation by buddhist monks and deadly violence by the yakuza, teenagers wearing the conservative schooluniforms and the use of those same uniforms in the thriving AV-industry, the popular art of Anime and its adult equivalent Hentai... A society like this was the ideal place to spread corruption and to entice weak souls. Tokyo and other cities like it would soon be the true battleground of the Apocalypse.

"We are almost there. It's the next store, and we still have ten minutes or so before he normally arrives.", Susumu said, while pointing ahead. The girl had discovered the wereabouts of the grey-haired Stargazer, Norio Tsuda, and was taking her there now. Eri was facinated by the Garou ever since their first meeting, which had been so rudely interrupted by the woman in white. She wasn't sure what it was, either love or pure sexual desire, or both? Maybe it was faith for them to be together? She had been attrackted to powerful men long before she had become Kuei-jin, and this Garou clearly radiated such power. She could use an ally like him during the upcoming battle.

Susumu lead her up the escalator of a department store, and into a large foodcourt. "Oh, look. He is already here, and he has friends with him. Should we go to him and surprise him?", the girl asked, while adjusting her puppetdress. Eri glanced through the rows of tables filled with people dining, in the direction Susumu had just pointed out. When she noticed the grey-haired Stargazer, she smiled satisfactory. Then her eyes fell on the two women who accompanied him at the same table, and she observed them for a moment. The _gaijin kimpatsu_ next to him she had seen with him before, in Harajuku. The woman with the short haircut, sitting opposite him, she did not recognize. But the cloth vessel laying on the table next to her, just within reach of her hands, suggested she was a hunter, like Norio. She had to get him alone, since the two women would certainly see through her disguise and kill her on the spot.

"Susumu, I want you to keep a close eye on them. I want to speak to him alone. Make sure they don't notice you!", she whispered in the girl's ear. Then she disappeared from sight, using her _Bone Shintai_ cloak.

* * *

Yamei Sunbeam observed Norio Tsuda, while she received her own bowl of noodles from the waitress. Her friend and fellow Deamon Eater had already started emptying his porcelain bowl, stuffing his favourite food in his mouth with his chopsticks at an impressive rate. She had always liked Quickblade, maybe because the two of them were so similar. The grey-haired Stargazer's main goal in life was to hunt the undead, and other responsibilities, ties, and friendships were of minor significance to him. It was the same with every Deamon Eater she had ever met. There was a common bond between Stargazers of their camp, that had always felt stronger to her than any bond with friends, septmembers, packmates, or members of a sentai. Whenever she teamed up with other Deamon Eaters for a hunt, she felt strong and full of life. Whenever a Deamon Eater was killed or passed away, she was full of grief and vengeance.

The news of Mouko Egami's death had made Yamei sad, but she also felt the weight of responsibility that rested on her shoulders as a result of it. According to her reknown and experience, she was destined to be his successor as representative of _the Heavenly Successors of the Deamon Eater_ camp. She had known Mouko quite well, and she had lost count of the times they had fought side-by-side. But the fact was, that they were completely different. Mouko had been a charismatic figure, who had had a big interest in Garou and Hengeyokai politics. He had represented the Deamon Eaters during countless formal or informal meetings, moots and rites. He had been a member of the Stargazer council in Kyoto for years, and had worked hard to keep a good relationship with Stargazers from the Zypher camp and other _Shen_ from the Beast Courts.

Yamei, on the contrary, didn't care much about politics. She liked to roam the lands of the Middle Kingdom, hunting Kuei-jin. That was simply the meaning of her existence, and she did not need much more! She enjoyed being part of Hengeyokai wave sentai, or join a Garou pack as an ally, on hunts or other related tasks. It gave her the opportunity to meet many other hunters, exchange ideas, and improve her skills. Her colaborations, however, were always temporary, as were her flirtations with passionate lovers. She smiled while remembering Norio's touch during their last encounter, a few months ago. Quickblade could surely be as sweet as he was deadly!

She glanced at Daniella Black, who sat next to Norio, and noticed that the younger woman was staring at her again. Yamei had initially thought that the Black Furie was still angry at her because of their kiss in Ainesh's storeroom, and the incident with Atsushi Bloodgazer. But she had gradually realized that the French Garou was actually jealous or suspicious of her relationship with Norio. Normally she would just ignore any love competitor, but in this case she choose not too. Firstly, the fact that Daniella, a Black Fury, was falling in love with Norio, one of the most self-centered male Garou in Japan, amused her greatly. Especially, since she seemed to try and keep it a secret from him.

Secondly, the way the woman stared at her was making her jealous. A man had always been just another man to Yamei, but her own feelings for Quickblade seemed to have grown deeper. It was an odd feeling, this jealousy. It was an emotion she wasn't used to, and she was reluctant to give it up just yet. Thirdly, Yamei realized all too well that she had fallen in love with the Black Fury too. The french woman with her beautiful blond hair had caused butterflies in her stomach from the moment they had met. She liked Daniella's spicy and stubborn character too.

"A penny for your thoughts!", she said impulsively. It should have been a whisper, meant for Atsushi Bloodgazer. The ancestor-spirit that shared her body as a permanent ally, had been silent for a while. She could still feel his constant presence, but he had the habit of burrowing himself in a corner of her mind, when he wasn't needed. Only when she called for him, he would reemerge to communicate with her. Talking was her only way of communicating with Atsushi. The ancestor-spirit, however, was able to feel Yamei's emotions, like love, hate, compassion, humor, and could either talk to her by using her own vocal cords, or he could choose to talk within her mind. When the _Past Life_ used the first option, bystanders would overhear and notice its prescence. The second option would not be noticed by anyone but herself, as long as she could keep her face straight, which was not always the case. Bloodgazer, however, remained quiet this time...

"Well, I think we should just go to Pentex's headquarters and take the Kuei-jin out! The longer we wait, the more time we allow Hinaru to prepare for us.", Norio said, while licking his lips and wiping his mouth against the backside of his hand. Daniella turned her attention to him now, and her frown could not look more confused. "And how are we supposed to reach her through the throngs of security, Bakemono, First Teams, and whatever else guards that place of corruption?" Norio met the Black Furies eyes calmly, seemingly not effected by her semi-aggressive tone of voice. "I am just saying, that if she is the kind of Executive who doesn't leave her base, than we might be forced to go in."

"Quickblade, have you completely lost your mind? Remember what happened the last time you ran off chasing a short-skirted schoolgirl? You ended up caught by the Yakuza, the woman in white almost killed you, and I eventually had to free you from a rediculous position, I might add. I managed that despite my injuries, caused by your ignorant escapade. After that incident you convinced my two packmates to march into the Yakuza headquarters, almost getting them and yourself killed a second time in one day!" Yamei watched Daniella's face, while she criticised the Grey-haired Stargazer. The woman's tone was fierce, but her anger was mixed with an unusual dose of affection, she was sure.

"Are you two finished?", Yamei said calmly, but loud enough to break up their argument. Daniella's angry glance met hers, and the Black Furie seemed on the verge of starting another tirade, this time aimed at her. Yamei didn't wait for that to happen, though. She swiftly moved her chopsticks to the Black Furies soupbowl, caught a large piece of Doufu, and held it in front of the woman's lips. "You should try this. Norio likes the noodles here, but I particularly love this Doufu!" Daniella looked confused again, but a moment later she slowly opened her mouth. Yamei calmly released the piece of Doufu in the woman's mouth. "Well, this indeed is very tasty.", the French Garou uttered a moment later, while swallowing Yamei's distraction.

If you will excuse me, ladies. Yamei, could you keep an eye on _Goji_ for a minute?! I have to go to the washroom.", Norio excused himself, while he rose from his seat. Yamei answered him with a nod, and pulled the leather guitarcase, which contained Norio's sword, to her side of the table. She then observed Daniella, who was staring after him, as if she couldn't decide to either accompany him, which would ofcourse be rediculous, or just stay and wait for him to come back. She shook her head and smiled. The Black fury really had the hots for her fellow Deamon Eater.

* * *

Norio Tsuda made his way toward the public toilets on the opposite side of the foodcourt. He was glad to be away from the Black Fury for a moment. The woman managed to get on his nerves time and time again. In a way he liked Daniella, though. He was thankful to her for rescuing him from the layer of Goro Shobo earlier, and he was glad that she had decided to stay in Tokyo a little while longer to assist him with the next hunt. But he also was used to decide things on his own, and had trouble with her mingling in his affairs.

He entered the public toilets, opened the door to the men's room, and glanced at the toilet booths to his right. The door of the first booth stood wide open, but the sight of half-dried feces splattered across the toilet seat made him quickly turn to the second. That booth seemed equally unusable, judging from the vomit covering the tiled floor around the toilet bowl. The bowl of the third booth was clogged with toilet paper. Shaking his head, he opened the door of the final booth, and walked in. He had almost closed the door behind him, when he suddenly noticed the girl, who sat crouched on the toilet bowl, her shoes resting on the toilet seat.

At that same moment he heard someone pulling the booth door shut from the outside. In a reflex he tried to push it open again, but it seemed to be locked now. Whoever had blocked his exit, released a short stream of girly giggles, mocking his failed attempt to escape. "Susumu, you can go now. Be quiet and leave us!" Norio frowned at the sound of the familiar voice, and turned his attention to the girl on the toilet seat.

"Hi there! I presume you are somewhat surprised to see me again, Stargazer. May I call you Norio, or would you rather like Mister Tsuda?", she said, smiling teasingly. The white shirt with a blue tie, the pleated blueish skirt, and loose white socks implied that he might have mistaken the women's washroom for the men's. But the full view of the bare skin beneath her skirt she purposely gave him, and the seducive way she flipped her long black hair, confirmed a setup.

"Eri...I thought you were dead? I saw your head roll across the floor. How...?", he uttered, while his hand instinctively felt for _Goji, _but to no avail. He surely had been ignorant to leave his leather guitarcase with his friends. But to be honest, there was no way he could wield his Katana in the small space of this booth, even if he had brought it. The girl, however, responded swiftly to the movements of his hand. The next moment he felt a sharp object pressed against his throat. When he glanced down to identify it, he noticed that it somehow emerged from the girl's right wrist. He caught the sharp, weapon-like object with his right hand, and felt that it was not metal but bone. He abrumptly relaxed his grip on the object, and met Eri's eyes.

"You use Bone Shintai? Did they turn you into a Kuei-jin?", he uttered in shock. Eri smiled and nodded. Her eyes glimmered with a disarming innocence again. The kind of innocence that cut right through his vigilant nature and into his heart, causing those awkward butterflies in his stomach. "He was falling in love with her, again."

"Yes, Norio. I am a Kuei-jin now! I am what you and your fellow Deamon Eaters hate the most, but you have to know... you have to believe, that I do not mean to harm you! I took a grave risk by coming here and meeting you. That is why I have to use this!", Eri said, while sliding the sharp point of the bone-weapon across his throat. "I have to think about my savety first, and make sure we can really trust eachother! But you came here for another reason just now. Let me help you with that first." Without releasing the pressure on his throat, she calmly stepped down from the toilet bowl, and slid past him. He could feel her small breasts through her thin shirt, rub along his side and press against his back, while she placed herself between him and the booth door.

"What are you doing?", he said, when he felt her free hand unzipping his pants, and sliding her fingers inside it. "Just relax for once, Mister Tsuda...try and make yourself comfortable.", she whispered mockingly, and he felt how she enveloped his manhood and took it out, pointing it down at the center of the bowl. Norio's mind was filled with a mix of conflicting thoughts. There was a big chance that he could overpower her if he tried, but he wasn't sure he wanted to do so. Ever since their last meeting, which had ended with her violent death, he had thought about this girl. The combination of his full bladder and the pressure of the sharp bone weapon below his chin, made him decide to give in. He sighed while a stream of golden urine exploded from his manhood, splattering down against the white porcelain of the bowl. The gentle grib of Eri's soft fingers on his member, formed an awkward contrast with her powerfull pressure on his throat. It was the weirdest sensation he had ever felt.

"I will be honest with you, Stargazer. You possess something that attracts me, and which I cannot explain nor ignore. You facinate and excite me, more than any man has ever done before.", she whispered, after the last drops had hit the bowl. "Moreover, I think we have a common enemy to fight. Now tell me, ...can I trust you not to kill me? A truce for the time being is all I ask. Promise me!" Norio stayed silent for a moment, stubborn as he was, not to let this little schoolgirl enticer tell him what to do. "_Namenna-yo_!", Eri cried out impatiently. He swallowed as she pushed the sharp point of bone up violently, piercing his skin, forcing his head backward. At the same moment the fingers of her left hand released his member, and slid down to envelope his balls. The pressure she put on the latter, helped him tremendously in making a relative quick decision about the whole matter. "I promise, Eri...I promise I... won't kill you! At least not at the moment, _Chikusho_!", he exclaimed, while coughing. The girl immediatelly released his throat, and the extended bone weapon disappeared beneath the skin of her right wrist, as if it had never been.

"Norio? Norio? Are you ok?" He frowned when he heard the voices of Daniella and Yamei from outside the men's room. He turned around to meet Eri's eyes, and noticed true fear in them. The young girl raised her hands and carressed his cheeks in an impulse. "Please don't give me away, Norio. You promised!", she whispered. But he also noticed the sharp bones suddenly emerging from her elbows, growing gradually until they had reached the lenght of a short Wakizashi. If he would take back his word, some bloody skirmish would ensue here.

"Don't worry... I will not give you away! When will we meet again?", he whispered back, kissing her forhead softly. Eri smiled broadly, and he felt the butterflies again. "I will meet you here tomorrow. Make sure you don't bring your ... friends! It makes things more complicated, you being a Deamon hunter and I am being your... prey.", she answered him. Then she gradually disappeared from sight. He waited a moment before he stepped on the toilet bowl, climbed out of the booth, and joined his friends.

* * *

Lolle Belle stood on top of a barren hill, gazing across the treetops in the direction of Mount Fuji. What she saw made her smile with satisfaction. Flames were rising high above the trees surrounding the small village, about a mile ahead. Just an hour after her arrival here, the first of four major Caerns had already fallen to her army. At this rate she would finish her _assignment_ before the week was over, which was clearly ahead of schedule. That would give her the opportunity to move her forces to the capital early and possibly usurp Kimiko.

"The main resistance has been broken, Black Witch. Do you want us to kill the survivors, or would you like to interrogate and torture them first?" Lolle Belle turned toward the giant man who stood in attention to her right. _Haneul the Twelve bladed Demigod_ had been her personal choice for deputy-commander. The Fomori of Korean origin was notorious for his fighting skills, and the Bakemono from Mikaboshi's hell, the _Wicked City,_ treated him like a king. For years he had been challenged by either Gaia's champions, or some of the Wyrm's strongest minions, but none had been able to defeat him in a one on one dual. Using him in the vanguard from time to time kept moral high, and broke the spirit of the guardian-defenders of the Caerns, guaranteeing a short and decisive skirmish and easy victory.

"I will take a look myself at what misguided servants Gaia has wasted on this battlefield today, if you don't mind." Lolle Belle didn't wait for the Fomori commander to reply, but casually spread her arms. Attuning her body to the local streams of Chi, it slowly became as light as the air itself. She ascended up into the air, until she hovered some 5 meters above the ground. Lolle Belle glanced a final time at Haneul. "Try to keep up!", she ordered her deputy-commander with a smirk. Then she flew into the direction of the burning village.

Lolle Belle turned her attention to a small group of _shen_ that was making its way in her direction. The main reason this particular group drew her attention was, because _Kazuhiko the Artist_ was leading it. The Fomori had been her first choice for the post of tactical advisor. She was perfectly able to set out the overall strategy for the assault on the Caerns by herself, but experience had taught her to make use of the sharp mind and improvization talent of a tactician, if so available. Kazuhiko had a sharp and inventive mind, but was not too critical of her as to invoke her wrath, like some other fools had done in the past. A tactician, however talented, who would get himself killed before her mission was accomplished, was not worth the effort.

Kazuhiko was not from the _Wicked city_. He was an unbound Fomori, who originally came from Okinawa. He had the weird habit of carving his art on the body of his victims, which had earned him his nickname. His victims were mostly humans, Hengeyokai, or Garou, but he sometimes lay his hands on a Kuei-jin or even a fellow Bakemono. That disgusting habit had made him notorious among the servants of the Wyrm. The main reason he was still tolerated by Haneul and the Bakemono army was her, and that was exactly what insured her of his loyalty.

She observed the individuals her tactical advisor had brought, one after another. They seemed like ordinary city folk, except for the ninjato weapons most of them carried with them. The one person that stood out, though, was a pale-skinned woman. She was wearing a long, black, silk dress, decorated with a dragon pattern. The woman's hair seemed a bit long at the front, awkwardly covering her eyes. Lolle Belle noticed a shining golden hairclip in the woman's hair, fastened to the side of her head. She turned to Kazuhiko, and frowned at him. The Fomori responded by making one of his graceful bows. Like most things he did, it was performed with the uttermost perfection. There truly was a thin line between artistic brilliance and insanity, and she was not sure on what side of that line her tactician stood. The moment she was sure, would likely be the right moment to slay him.

"Black Witch, I bring to you these reïnforcements. They do not look very useful at first sight, compared to our army of 1000 Bakemono, but I promise you they will be at least as valuable. Lolle Belle smirked, walked over to the pale-skinned woman, and stared at the awkward bitemarks on her right cheek. "Who are you, and what do you have to offer, that might be of use to me?"

"I am Ume, head-assassin of the Silent Fangs of Ananasa. I offer you Cherry Blossom Shrine Caern on a silver plater. The thing I ask you in return is small, but nevertheless valuable to me... personally!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4 - The One Mountain**

Ming Claw-of-Emeishan observed the two men sitting opposite him on the floor of the small bedroom. Ainesh Ghoshal had introduced them as friends, who he could trust. Ming, however, was cautious when meeting new people, especially _shen_. He was used to travel a lot, and hardly stayed long enough in one place to make true friends. The ones he did call his friends, were mostly hunters, either Deamon Eaters or _Shih_. Yamei and Norio he did consider to be his friends. He thought Daniella and Ainesh were alright, but it would take a bit more time before he would trust them completely. It was the same with these men...

The first man, Phillip Kingston, was a packmate of Ainesh and Gadget. He was a GlassWalker too, but he didn't quite fit the image Ming had always had of them. The American wore a business suit, spoke many languages fluently, and had the charm of an intellectual. He did not have much in common with Ainesh or Gadget. Ainesh, a young computerprogrammer and hacker from India, _did_ fit Ming's stereotypical view on their Tribe the best. He hardly was able to speak a sentence without mentioning part of a code or application, and he spend most of his day behind his desktop. Gadget, a Lupus Garou with a body full of technological implants, had actually shocked him. Ming had always felt a close tie with nature and the natural order of things, that Daniella Black might call _the Wyld_. The adjustments on Gadget were the apitamy of what negative influence _the Weaver_ had on Tokyo's _shen_ nowadays. But still Ming could relate the Lupus Garou's connection with his Tribe. Phillip Kingston, however, stood out.

Ming turned his attention to the second man. This one, a Philippino with a long curly hairstyle that made one think of the glamorous pop-celebrities of the '80's, called himself Bien. He actually was a Garou from the Shadow Lord Tribe. Altough Ming had never met a Shadow Lord before, he had been warned in the past to avoid them. The members of that Tribe were said to have many dark connections. Some Hengeyokai openly accused the Shadow Lords of working for the Yama Kings. Ming considered himself open-minded, and would give the man the benefit of the doubt, until he knew enough to truly judge him.

There was another thing about Bien, that made him stand out. The man was blind. He wore dark glasses, and carried a white cane to help him find his way outside. Ming wondered how a foreign Garou from a tribe that was not very welcome in the streets of the Middle Kingdom, was able to handle himself without vision. He must either be very cunning, or a complete fool, who was bound to die the next day.

A glance at the blue, plastic vessel, which Bien had placed on the floor in front of him, made Ming frown. It was obvious to the Khan that the vessel harboured a weapon of some kind. Most _shen_, including himself, had to use vessels, either cloth, metal, wood, or plastic, to hide their weapons from ordinary passersby on the streets of a big city like Tokyo. But when Bien clumsily dropped the vessel, causing the lit to come loose and roll off, Ming caught a glimpse of a wire hilt, and he became instantly fascinated with the man.

"Forgive my bold way of asking, but is the weapon you use a sword from the West?", Ming uttered, trying to push away his growing excitement. He always had had trouble to control his fondness of weapons. Ming was convinced that you could learn a lot about a person's true being by examining their weapons. In his opinion a weapon was the soul of a warrior. A true warrior would treasure his weapon, and never part with it, as if it were a limb of flesh and blood. Once a warrior had lost his sword, gun or guandao, he was soulless and therefore helpless.

"I see you have a keen eye for swords, mister Weretiger! I wield a Rapier.", Bien answered, while lifting the vessel. He placed the palm of his right hand on the handle, drew his sword, and placed it on the floor between them. "Oh, and take care while touching the blade. It is partly silver!" After the Shadowlord gave him a friendly nod, Ming lifted the weapon with both hands, to study it from up close. The Rapier was a long, slender sword, with a sharply pointed tip. The lack of a cutting edge emphasized its primary use as a thrusting weapon. The beautifully shaped silver-colored wire hilt provided protection for the hand wielding it.

"This truly is a magnificent sword, Bien! I have seen many chinese and japanese swords, but never an authentic European one, like this.", he said, while placing the weapon back on the floor. "How did you aquire it? What is your occupation, and how did you meet our host?", Ming asked, while nodding at Phillip.

"Bienvenido is one of our regular customers. He needs information to complete his odd jobs, which we provide him with in exchange for some financial compensation. Am I right, Bien?", the American GlassWalker said. He smiled at the man next to him, as if they had been friends for years, and said something in a language Ming didn't understand. The Shadow Lord answered with a smile and something that sounded like an answer in the same language. So this American could speak Tagalog, next to English, Japanese and French?

"Well, yes. I grew up in the Philippines, and spend years in the US. I am a mercenary, however strange that sounds", Bien commenced, pointing at his dark glasses. "A couple of years ago a job led me to Tokyo, and I...decided to stay." Ming nodded, and reached for the cloth vessel behind him in order to show the Shadow Lord his guandao, but a curse from Ainesh made him turn his attention to the Indian GlassWalker.

"For goodness sakes? I don't know how they did it, but...we've been hacked!", the man uttered. It was awkward to hear the normally calm Garou suddenly curse like a madman. But when it came to his digital connection, he was... pretty sensitive.

"If you will excuse me, gentlemen... I have a meeting in Shibuya in half an hour. I should leave now, if I want to make it on time." "It was nice meeting you, mister Weretiger! Maybe we will have a chance to talk some more about weapons and trades next time we meet?", Bien said. He got up, shook Ming's hand, and took his leave. Ming stared after the Shadow Lord, until the door closed behind him. He had the feeling he would meet him again...somehow. Then his eyes fell on the blue, plastic vessel, laying abandoned on the floor.

* * *

Bien Shadow-Cane smiled satisfactory, when he exited the LAN gaming center. He immediatelly turned right, and made his way down the busy street, tapping his white cane rhythmically on the concrete in front of him. He focussed on the sound of a particular voice, he had noticed earlier, to lead him in the right direction. It was the high-pitched voice of a young woman, who was trying to lure passersby into her small diner. When he reached her position, less than twenty meters from the GlassWalker-hideout, he halted and sat down against the metal pole of a streetlight. Later this evening he would return, and pick up his Rapier. Leaving without his precious sword, seemingly forgetting about it, had been his intention. Bien had needed an excuse to go back, without arousing suspicion. The Khan seemed to have a weakness for rare weapons, and would keep it save as soon as he found it. From his current position, next to the small diner, he would be able to spot the return of the one he had been hired to assassinate.

"Mister, you cannot sit here! Please find another place to beg." Bien heard the woman clearly, but chose to ignore her and her insult.

He was currently working on two jobs simultaneously. both from the same client. A middleman, some ugly, foul-mouthed, Bakemono, had arranged everything from information to funds, but he knew that his real employer was in fact _Tou Mu_, The Iron Empress. The Yama King, or Queen for that matter, had been impressed with his quick and succesful handling of the first job entrusted to him. That job had been the reason for him to leave the US, ending up killing a powerful Mage in downtown Tokyo almost a year ago. The experience had nearly cost him his life, but the reward had been well worth it. The Yama King had not only payed him the amount agreed upon, but had provided him with a priceless Fetish equipment. The little gift had changed his effectiveness as a mercenary. Afterwards he had been offered jobs regularly by The Iron Empress, and the huge profits he now made had helped him decide to settle down in Japan.

"Tramp, I will not ask you again. If you don't go somewhere else, I will call the police to remove you.", the woman uttered threateningly.

Bien had no problem whatsoever with the idea of working for the Yama King's, Wyrm entities with tremendous power and influence in the Middle Kingdom. He simply didn't care who his employers were, as long as they paid him. He accepted jobs from servants of either Wyrm or Gaia, whoever booked him first and offered the best reward. Back in the US, and before that in the Philippines, his clients had been mostly vampires, but also Mages had used his services. Nowadays it was either the great Tou Mu or an occasional shen, who called upon him. Among Garou, the neutral position he chose to take, was referred to as walking-the-line, and he was called a Rogue. But even he had his code of honour, and it was a moral line that he would never cross. Bien would never harm or kill a child or a Metis Garou. The reason for the former was obviously compassion, while the latter had to do with the fact that he was a Metis himself, and understood their suffering.

"Namenayo! Don't keep my customers away, bastard." The woman seemed furious now, and he felt a kick against his left leg. So typical for the average person to their frustrations on a visual impaired stranger. He had to be careful not to cause a scene, since that could jeopardise his job.

Bien took out a cigarette and lit it, while he slowly rose. He was addicted to the cancersticks, but he didn't really care about that anymore. They helped him steady his nerves, and forget about his disability, even when rude people like the woman disrespected him. Being born a blind Metis, his sept had not excepted him as one of their own, and he had been forced to flee. For years he had roamed the streets of Manila, begging for money and food. People had either ignored him or verbally abused him countless times, until he once offered to help beat-up someone for cash. The victim involved died of his injuries. The way people had treated him in his early years, had left mental scars in his personality. This still caused him to feel insecure, ashamed and fearful from time to time. However, since his first kill, he had taught himself to take pride in his occupation. He might be a blind bum in the eyes of the average person, but he was damn good at being a mercenary. And the nicotine in his lungs dazed him enough to block the bad memories out.

Suddenly the woman yelped, and he felt the impact of her stumbling into him, causing him to drop to the concrete again. "Auw! That hurt...", was all she said, but something made her swallow the rest of her words. Someone must have ran into her, and scared her, drawing Bien's attention.

Bien felt for a small, round object, hanging on a cord around his neck. The jade eyeball was able to detect the presence of the undead. It had been a gift of appreciation from Tou Mu for his excellent services. Whenever a Kuei-jin or Kin-jin passed the bearer, the jade would change into organic matter. Moreover, the Fetish allowed him to catch a glimpse of their chi-aura. He took the now fleshy eyeball into his mouth, and immediatelly after three colourful shapes appeared in the eternal darkness in front of him. It was one of the rare opportunities for him to actually see.

The three Kuei-jin didn't bother with the woman they had just thrown to the concrete. They continued in the direction of the LAN gaming center. What business would three undead have with the GlassWalker, especially now that they had Vampire hunters as guests. The Khan was a hunter, as were the two Deamon Eaters Phillip had mentioned. Bien quickly got up and rushed after them, tapping his cane to avoid a collision with other passersby he could not see. If the distance between him and the Kuei-jin became too great, the chi-aura's would disappear, and his sight would too.

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

****

Chapter 5 - Asunder

Chiaki Hasekura closed her eyes and took a moment to enjoy the tender breeze caressing her bare skin. The cool wind neutralized the warm rays of the morning sun, penetrating the canopy of the Cherry Trees on the hill behind her. She had never felt such utter happiness before, never in her 17-year young life. Tomorrow she would turn 18, though, and Arjuna would leave for China. The Silent Strider was unable to tell her when he would return, so it was quite possible that they would not have an opportunity to be together for some time. That was why she had wanted this day to be special.

"What are you thinking about, my love?" Chiaki opened her eyes slowly, trying to hold on to the last spasm of ecstacy. She met the eyes of her secret lover, who lay beneath her in the tall grass, and smiled at him. She put the palms of her slender hands on his bare chest, and leaned forward to kiss him on the lips. Arjuna swallowed, before answering her kiss, brushing his hands through her long hair. She felt his tongue slide against her small, ivory piercing, while they kissed. "I was thinking about you and me... and the risk we take. Do you know what will happen, if they find out about our relationship?", she answered him. "Don't get me wrong. I wanted this! I want to be with you more than anything, but..."

"All I care about is you, Chiaki. You were the main reason for me to settle down at Cherry Blossom Shrine and become part of the Peaceful Voice of Zypher sept. I love you and I want us to be happy!" Arjuna looked so handsome, his big, dark eyes shining brighty, a sudden gust of wind stirring his long, black hair. His smile caused butterflies in her stomach. "You know I don't like to pretend. I believe our mutual affection is a positive thing, a beautiful thing that we shouldn't have to hide. The Litany isn't perfect. It should change with the times, when Garou society requires it to. But I do realize that most of the Garou in our sept are not ready to accept that yet, and I do respect your wish to keep to ourselves for a while.", he continued.

Chiaki raised her hips, ending their intimacy, and sat herself down in the dry grass next to him. "I sometimes wonder how many unfortunate ones have been through this before? How many Garou couples don't even have an opportunity to ever be together...never able to touch, like we just did.", she whispered, and glared in front of her into the shallow valley. A dirt path, lined with an occasional Peach tree, ran through the middle of it. The path disappeared into a small forest of Oak, Cherry tree, and Dwarf Pine. Behind those trees lay Cherry Blossom Shrine. She glanced to her right, past Arjuna, and observed the _Tower of eternal Virtue_. The Five-storied stone pagoda, less than five meters tall and partly hidden by the low vegetation, marked the border of the Caern's outer bawn. It was an ideal spot to retreat to, if one needed privacy, and without leaving the septs territory. The hill gave an excellent view of the surrounding area, and anyone who wanted to reach them here, had to cross the valley path first.

"Did you know I played here sometimes, when I was still a young girl? I remember playing hide-and-seek here once.", Chiaki said. Arjuna sat up straight, crawled to her on his hands and knees, and sat down behind her. She felt his manly chest rest against her back, and his inner thigs embrace her outer hips and legs. "I hid behind that tower, and the other kids couldn't find me. Eventually the former Warder, Yumiko Sato the Wise, found me there after nightfall. I was cold and wet, and afterwards I got punished, ofcourse. I must have been seven or eight years old back than, but I was not scared at all! Do you know why I wasn't scared, baby?"

Chiaki felt the Silent Strider's arms sliding across her belly, his grip pressing her tightly against him. "All that time in the rain I thought about my knight-on-a-white-horse bound to come and save me. And now I know I finally found him!", she whispered, while glancing across her shoulder. Arjuna softly kissed her right cheek, and she felt his hands on her breasts. She closed her eyes again, to enjoy every bit of pleasure, while he kissed her neck and shoulder.

"As long as I am alive and able to, I will protect you with my life!", he whispered in her ear. A smile formed on Chiaki's lips, and she opened her eyes and turned to face him. "That is an easy statement to make while living in a relatively undisturbed place like Cherry Blossom Shrine. But what will you do when real danger emerges? Would you face great peril and risk your soul to save me from the clutches of an evil monster?", she asked, while keeping a straight face.

The Silent Strider's expression was priceless. "I am not an Ahroun, just an average Ragabash. You might not see me slaying demons, riding on the back of that white horse of yours...but I will find my own way to keep you save. My auspice is very resourceful, you know!", he uttered. Chiaki smiled, and laid both hands on his cheeks. "Baby, you are my knight, my handsome prince, and I know you will come for me. I am convinced of your dedication, and that is why I love you!", she said softly, and then she kissed him on the lips.

"Let's play hide-and-seek, baby? If you want me, you will have to find me first!", she cried out, and jumped to her feet. Arjuna attempted to grab her by the arm, but she managed to rush away into the low vegetation behind them. Chiaki laughed out loud, excited as she was by the idea of her lover chasing her. She passed through a group of Dwarf Pines, and some of the sharp twigs scratched her bare skin. She rubbed her fingers across the painful cuts on her arms and legs, biting her teeth, without slowing her pace. Then she dropped down on her hands and knees, and changed into her Lupus Form. It surely was easier and faster to move beneath all these twigs and branches, and her fur pelt would protect her better against injury.

When Chiaki reached the top of the hill, she turned left and then another left, trying to circle Arjuna's position. She leaped across large boulders, partly buried in the rocky soil, and passed beneath thick Pine branches, that crossed her path. Finally she reached the stone pagoda, hid behind it, and retook her human Form. There she sat quietly, crouching naked, with her butt and back leaning against the stone base of the _Tower of eternal Virtue,_ her hands resting between her legs.

Suddenly Chiaki noticed how cold it was, and she blew on the palms of her hands, and rubbed herself to stay warm. The wind had picked up in intensity, and she felt the first drops of rain landing on her skin. She finally got on hands and knees, and crawled to the edge of the stone base. Then she took a peek around the corner, expecting to see Arjuna's smiling face.

But some large hand grabbed her by the throat, lifted her up into the air, and dropped her roughly on the grass floor. The figure of a large Garou jumped her before she could get up, and she was pressed down to the ground with much force. She recognized Njal's face, and screamed out loud, when she saw his sharp axe coming down toward her head.

...............................the pain of iron cleaving the skin of her throat.......................

Chiaki opened her eyes wide, and sat up staight, frantically gasping for air. Then she realized that she had been dreaming. It had been an awkward mixture of real memories about some wonderful times she had spend with her lover, and her obvious, deep fears for one of their Get of Fenris allies. She shook her head, and looked around her. She was inside a large room filled with redish carpet and redwood furniture, that made her think of a dininghall.

There was something odd about the place, but she was not sure yet what it was. The room seemed to be covered in a layer of thin, grey mist. Objects that were within 5 to 10 meters of her, she could see clearly, but things further away appeared rather dim. She felt cold, but when she tried to adjust her clothing, she noticed that she was only wearing a colourful nightrobe. Someone had put her in these clothes...? Only then she noticed the presence of the other young women and the cubs.

The women, of which the majority seemed to be chinese, sat together in small groups. Most of them wore a nightrobe that looked similar to hers, and sat at one of the tables, occupied with what seemed like household chores. Some were knitting, while others were preparing food. Chiaki's attention was drawn to a tall, caucasian woman, with long blond hair and green eyes, who sat on her knees to her right. The woman had been staring at her, and gave her a friendly nod. She turned to the woman, while rubbing her painful throat.

"Who are you? What place is this?", Chiaki asked. The caucasian woman crawled to her, and lay her fingers on Chiaki's throat, examining her injuries. "My name is Isalind, Brent Dahlstrom's Goodwife. I am Get of Fenris Kinfolk. You are in the Kingdom of Heimdall, our sanctuary." Chiaki cried out in pain, and the woman withdrew her hands. "Severin's chain has bruised your skin, but it will heal fast, since you are Garou. The men can be rough sometimes, but they mean well!", she whispered. Then Chiaki noticed the slightly darker area around the woman's left eye. It was obviously the remnant of a black eye. Three or four more women seemed to have bruises on their arms, legs or back.

"How can you say that they mean well, when they treat us like this?", Chiaki shouted in anger. She glanced at the other women around her. Most of them were staring at her, seemingly surprised by her outcry. "What are all these women doing here... and those children and cubs?" Isalind gestured toward another caucasian woman, who quickly carried a small tray with a flask and three cups to them. "I will answer all your questions, but you must first have a drink with us." The woman took one of the cups from the tray, and drank. "This is Svanhild. She is my sister.", she said, while gesturing at the young woman with the tray. Chiaki greeted Svanhild, took the cup that was offered to her, and drank.

"Our camp, once the great promise of what Garou society was meant to evolve into, has been purched by evil forces within our own Tribe. We were hunted down in the West by fellow Fenrir, until only a handful of us were left alive. My husband, Brent, Severin, Jongeirr, and a group of Kinfolk managed to escape the massacre, and we found refuge in the lands of the East. We have gained this sanctuary, thanks to the kindness of a Mage, and within it we plan to rebuilt our camp.", Isalind explained. Chiaki frowned and shook her head in disbelieve.

"I am a Stargazer, and don't know much about your Tribe. I have met some Get of Fenris Garou, who seem to be hunting you for whatever reason. I can't and won't take a side in the conflict between both your camps. But I do know for a fact, that the Namebreaker your sept has befriended, is a merciless servant of the Wyrm! He ordered the death of Ya the Kind, who was a much admired Stargazer Elder here in Shanghai. If you follow him, your camp is bound to either fall to the Wyrm, or to the defenders of Gaia." Isalind exchanged glances with Svanhild, and the latter shook her head in denial. Her eyes showed contempt.

"You have a big mouth for a woman from the East! I now understand why Severin treated you roughly when he caught you, earlier. You should know your place as a woman. Severin may have fallen for your brown hair and your blue eyes, but you will never be a true Fenrir. You will never be equal to Isalind or me!", she uttered. Isalind motioned her to be quiet, and resumed her explanation.

"You do not understand our good intentions, Stargazer! The young ones you see around you, either Garou cubs or children, have been disgraced and abandoned by their septs. They were bound to die of hunger or to be captured by the Wyrm's minions. However, we accept them into our mids, and raise them into true _Swords of Heimdall_. The women here are mostly from the countryside. Thousands of them roam this city, searching for a job to support their family. But jobs are hard to find nowadays. Our sept offers them a useful and fruitfull life. They will be our new kinfolk. They will give birth to new Garou and bolster our ranks. We mean well for everyone involved!"

Chiaki bit her teeth to force down a burst of anger, after hearing the woman out. "I cannot believe my ears! You can't truly mean what you just said, Isalind? You act like your sept is a savior for all these people, but in fact you kidnap them of the city streets. Aunt Ya kept a shelter for abandoned Garou cubs, and when she was killed, her cubs were taken by the culprits. I think I just found them." Isalind frowned, and glanced at Svanhild, who looked furious. "Lies! You lie to us to divide us, but you will not succeed, Stargazer. You are the barbarian, and we are the Swords of Heimdall!"

"And all these young women? You must have grabbed them by force, just like you did with me, and now you plan to rape them to provide you with offspring?", Chiaki yelled. She rose, but that caused her to feel a sudden daze, and she sat down again. She felt a headache building up inside her head, and glanced at the two women. "What have you put into my drink?"

"Severin has chosen you to become one of his Goodwifes. You will bear him children. Since we are in great need, we will accept a possible Metis or two in our sept, so you don't have to worry about that!", Isalind said. Her face did not show any emotion, as if breaking the Litany on purpose was some little thing. "But...why on earth would he choose me? Why not choose a kinfolk wife, instead of a Garou?", Chiaki uttered. Svanhild smirked at her. "Severin already has five Goodwives. Four are chinese, and...I am his only wife with...pure Fenrir blood! That means you will have to answer to me, do chores I give you, and obey me, when he is not present.", she said, almost shouting at her. Chiaki despirately tried to get up, but her legs felt numb, and the room seemed to turn.

"Don't think you can run away, Stargazer! Severin will come back for you any moment now. Accept your new purpose in life, or you will suffer much hardship.", Svanhild yelled. Chiaki grabbed the young woman, while stumbling on her legs. "I will never accept such a fate! I belong to another man... Let me...go.", she pleaded. Then she lost consciousness.

* * *

Jongeirr Slays the Weak released a loud, mocking laugh, when he realized the leader of the Hand of Tyr warband had been turned into a harmless statue of Jade. His self-confidence gradually returned, while he rose from his seat and walked toward his sworn enemy. Thorvald was the most feared member of the Hand of Tyr camp, notorious for his personal animosity toward Jongeirr's own camp, the Swords of Heimdall. The Ahroun and his pack had slain countless of his friends. Jongeirr somehow felt awkward, standing so close to his sworn enemy, without the need to wield a weapon and fight for his life. He took a moment to study the man, and had to look up to meet his frozen eyes. Then he smiled satisfactory, raised his hand, and hit the Fenrir statue hard in the face. "I have always wanted to do that!", he whispered, while saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth. Finally he turned his attention to the other intruders. "Who is next?"

The five remaining Garou stood opposite him, in awkward silence, as if they had become Jade statues themselves. Minutes ago they had stormed into the Triad's _Great Hall of Rites_, the den of Old Ru 'the Preacher', obviously convinced that they could defeat the entire Triad purely by physical force. Now their faces showed disbelief and shock. Three of them must be Fenrir, judging from their appearance. He observed the large, grey wolf-hound, crouching to the left. Its Lupus Form was quite similar to that of many Garou from his Tribe. The animal stared back at him, its eyes filled with pride. Next to the wolf, in the center, stood a caucasian man with long, blond hair and a halflong, blondish beard. He seemed to hestitate, estimating their chance of victory. To his right stood the third Garou, a tall, broad-shouldered man with long, brown, braided hair. This one was armed with two small axes, and glanced at him fiercely.

He smirked, and turned his attention to his allies. Behind him, high on a podium at the far end of the Hall, Old Ru 'The Preacher' sat on a large redwood chair. The old Mage calmly drank from the cup of tea that was served to him by a servant. To the man's left and right, triadmembers stood in attention. They formed a semi-circle around him and his opponents. Some of them held knives, while other carried guns. Others didn't carry any weapon, but Jongeirr knew that those were probably the most notorious. Old Ru had Fomori as his personal guard, and some of these creatures had proven to be most deadly to any enemies of the Jade Sanctuary.

Jongeirr knew that his position was secure. The Namebreaker, however powerful, needed him and the Kingdom of Heimdall he was building. Old Ru served some Asian Wyrm spirit called _Tou Mu_, who somehow supported the idea of building a sanctuary for the Swords of Heimdall in the Middle Kingdom. He grinned, and wiped away the saliva. He did not and would never serve the Wyrm, like the Namebreaker did, but he would...take advantage of this opportunity to save the remnants of his camp. He would rebuild and meanwhile tolerate the Triad and the Wyrm-spawn that came with it, until his Fenrir sept was strong enough to take over. Then he would get rid of Old Ru, his Fomori servants, and that Wyrm spirit personally. But first things first...

"Well, who is brave enough to still face me in battle, now your leader has been...neutralized ?", Jongeirr yelled mockingly. Before he had finished his sentence the Lupus Garou released a loud roar, and stormed at him. The Garou in wolf Form was fast, and before he could draw his battle axe, it jumped for his throat. Jongeirr quickly shifted his balance, but he was unable to dodge the wolf, and felt the animal's fangs cut through his skin. He embraced the attacker tightly, twisted his body, and pushed him down to the floor. While he kept the wolf down, using his full body weight, Jongeirr reached for his axe, and raised it to cut his opponent down. His death blow was intercepted by an axe of another Fenrir.

The tall, broad-shouldered man swung his second axe at his head, forcing Jongeirr to dodge and retreat. His opponent rushed after him, though, and continued his assault. Jongeirr blocked his first axe with his own, and evaded a swipe with the second. From the corner of his eye he noticed the man with the blondish beard trying to circle him. Behind the tall Fenrir he saw that the grey wolf-hound had recovered, and was preparing for a new attack. He braced himself, and engaged the tall man, colliding with him and shoving his left shoulder into his ribcage. The Fenrir coughed loudly, while he stumbled backwards, until he tripped over the wolf-hound behind him. Jongeirr swiftly turned and swung his battle axe at the attacker with the blondish beard, who was forced to evade and retreat.

"I see the battle has started without me?" Jongeirr turned and met the eyes of Brent Dahlstrom. The huge size of his friend's Crinos Form caused a wave of awe and whispering through the row of triadmembers. He smirked, and changed into his own Werewolf Form. "Where is Severin? What took you so long to get here?", he inquired, swinging his battle axe from one paw to another. It was much lighter and easier to wield now. Brent raised his own axe, a red-painted battle axe as big as the hood of a small car. Only his friend was able to lift it. "Severin will be delayed. He has aquired a new Goodwife, and is infatuated with her. I urged him to keep an eye on the sept, until we return."

The three Hand of Tyr Fenrir had used the moment to recover and had taken battle stances opposite them. They looked worn out, but still determined. Jongeirr smirked at their efforts. They would not stand a chance now Brent was here to fight at his side. He had witnessed his formidable packmate defeat and slaughter an entire pack of Garou by himself once. The next round of battle would kill off the last of this Hand of Tyr warband, ending a series of skirmishes spread across two continents the past four months... The deaths of these bloodhounds would give him and his Swords of Heimdall camp a chance to rebuild here in China, without any major threats.

The grey wolf-hound seemed to engaged Brent, but halted halfway, and attempted to circle him, staying just out of striking distance. The Fenrir with the blondish beard then changed into his Crinos Form, and rushed forward at Brent also. He releasing an terrifying battle-howl, which was done with such perfection, only a Gaillard could have managed it. Brent glanced vigilantly from one opponent to the other, ready to release his awesome strenght upon them. The third Hand of Tyr faced Jongeirr, raising his two axes in front of him, while engaging. The tall, broad-shouldered man's speed increased with every step. One of the triadmembers forming the circle around them, suddenly entered the battle area, his body changing into a giant lump of flesh, its arms like long, thin needles. His opponent halted, turned to the new threat, and cut it to pieces with three double strikes of his axes.

Jongeirr did not wait for his opponent to finish off the Fomori. He rushed at him, and brought his large axe down with a quick swing, cleaving through the man's right shoulder bone. The attack caused the Hand of Tyr to drop the small axe in is right hand, but he recovered quickly. His long brown braids swung through the air, while he made an agile turn, and cut deep into Jongeirr's upper Crinos arm with his second axe. They both pulled their weapons free simultaniously, and used the moment to withdraw out of striking distance.

Then he noticed something behind the broad-shouldered man, that might change the odds of this battle. One of the two Garou that had not yet participated in the skirmish, had just conjured a spirit. The large creature, which resembled some kind of large turtle, remained where it had appeared, but its mere presence seemed to gradually heal his opponent. It did not take long, before the braided Hand of Tyr stood up straight again, the torn fabric of his sweater being all that remained of his previous injury.

Meanwhile the other two Hand of Tyr were in an intense struggle with his friend no more than a few meters away. The wolf-hound Garou had buried his fangs deep in the furry waist of the giant Sword of Heimdall. The other Garou was slashing with his claws at Brent's back, but he somehow slipped, and lost his balance for a moment. Brent's raised his giant battle axe with both paws, and brought it down with full force. The razorsharp blade hit the Garou with the blondish beard right on his muzzle, and cleaved the Garou in twain, cutting through meat and bone, until the steel edge of the weapon impacted the stone floor with a loud clang. The victim's body fell asunder, the left side of his torso collapsing forward, while the right side fell backward, spilling blood across the tiles.

"ENOK!!!", the tall, broad-shouldered man shouted in anguish. He turned his attention to Brent now, and attacked him furiously. His wolf-hound packmate, who had been flung to the ground the moment Brent had raised his axe, jumped up and releases a terrifying howl. He, however, suddenly changed his attention to Jongeirr, and sped towards him. Jongeirr had not expected this sudden attack, and raised his battle axe to block it. A stinging pain from the earlier wound in his upper Crinos arm, hampered him, and him lost grip of his weapon. He growled in desperation, and took a stance extending his claws, bracing for the collision with the frenzied wolf-hound.

A sudden greenish light enveloped his opponent in mid-air, however, and the next moment the Jade statue of the lifeless wolf dropped to the ground. Jongeirr released another mocking laugh, and glanced at Old Ru. The Mage stood in front of his chair, ready to intervene again, if needed. Jongeirr waved at him to sit down. "This is our fight, old man! Sit down and watch us take care of these troublemakers. We can manage without your help, ok?!" He knew that the Mage did not like people telling him what to do, but this time he seemed to listen.

Jongeirr turned back to Brent and the broad-shouldered Hand of Tyr. His friend clearly had the upper hand, and the braided Garou stumbled on his feet. He hand cuts and wounds from Brent's claws and axe on his chest and legs. When Jongeirr wanted to join the fight to finish of the remaining Garou, his attention was caught by the sound of the doors to the Hall being opened by force. He stared at the young woman and the girl entering the Hall, and a grin formed on his muzzle, saliva streaming from both corners of it.

* * *

Yubi stood in the revolving restaurant, staring silently at one of the chinese paintings, decorating the inner wall. The painting, mounted on an old, paper scroll, depicted what seemed like a male Garou in some kind of battle stance, surrounded by a horde of Bakemono. The stance immediatelly reminded her of Fang Yin and Aiko Rin, and the martial techniques they had demonstrated in the Jade Buddha Temple, some days ago. She took a closer look at the five chinese characters, painted just below the traditional red namestamp at the right side of the painting, describing the scene. "Aki Floating Leaf's last stance...?! I think I just found our spirit!", she whispered to herself, and smiled satisfactory. "Now to think of a way to free it from the painting that seems to confine it."

When she raised her right hand to touch the paper surface of the scroll, she was distracted by two young women, coming from the direction where Fang Yin and the others had gone. The women, who wore the attire of waitresses, were clearly in a panick and ran right past her in the direction of the elevator. Obviously they couldn't have noticed her, since she was using her gift _Moon Dance_ to cloak her presence. Moonlight was shining through the large windows of the outer wall, reaching as far as the inner wall, illuminating parts of it. Yubi made sure not to stand in the lunar light, to avoid loosing her gift's effect. She needed time to figure out how to free this Stargazer ancestor spirit, and couldn't risk a confrontation with Triad members at the moment.

She turned her attention back to the scroll. It's texture appeared to be like any other chinese painting, made of Chinese xuan paper that could easily tear or burn. At the upper and lower end, a wooden roller with a pair of decorative, hardwood knobs, had been attached. She pulled softly at the left knob and released it, causing the scroll to swing to and fro. Then she got an idea. "It is depicting an ancestor spirit...spirits often manifest themselves only in _the Mirror Lands_. Maybe I should step sideways and examine the paintings reflection?", she whispered to herself. Yubi moved a hand into her pocket, and searched for a little piece of paper. She always carried them on her person to use as _kami,_ in the event she was forced to perform _Ju-Fu_. When she found it, she held it pressed between her fingers as a precaution. Then she crossed the gauntlet, entering the Umbra.

The next moment Yubi found herself in, what appeared to be, the accact same corridor. But when the Werefox took a moment to observe her surroundings, she started noticing the differences between this place and the actual corridor in the physical world. The red-wood furniture, that had been knocked over or thrown against the wall by the passing Fenrir, there, was still standing upright and untouched here. The temperature in this reflection of the revolving restaurant, was much cooler than the rather warm admosphere in the actual restaurant. Moreover, the beams of moonlight, shining through the windows of the outer wall, were rather dim here, and the entire area was covered in a layer of thin, grey mist. Yubi frowned, when she realized one of the beams struck her person, while it had not touched her in the physical world. She knew that the laws of physics sometimes worked in strange ways in the Mirror Lands, and were quite unpredictable. That was when she glanced at the chinese painting, depicting the ancestor spirit, and noticed the Bane spirit that clung to it.

The blueish creature, which resembled a large snake, had wrapped itself around the old, paper scroll. It was obviously assigned to guard the painting, since it became hostile as soon as it noticed the Kitsune's presence. Three blueish, transparant heads spawned from the Bane's winding tail, growing large maw's with long, sharp teeth. The maw's launched at her simultaneously. Yubi quickly pulled the _Ju-Fu_ _kami_ from her pocket, enscribed it with the spirit's name, and held it up in front of her for the creature to see.

"In the name of the White-Faced One, I banish you away from this place, back to the dark hell you came from!", she yelled. The Bane spirit released a terrible squeal, that made her shiver in her shoes. It froze suddenly and completely, like a video-image, when someone pushed the pauze-button on a remote control. Then it disappeared without a trace, leaving the abandoned scroll to sway gently from left to right to left...

The Kitsune did not waste time, walked over to the painting, and touched the image of the Garou. "I am not a Stargazer, but a member of your tribe has send me to free you! Aki Floating Leaf, Garou ancestor spirit, I respectfully ask you to reveal yourself now, so I can guide you to her. She is in great peril!"

"A decendant of the White-Faced One, you are! I see it in your eyes...utterly beautiful, but tremendously clever too, and full of tricks. No wonder you were able to free me from eternal confinement. What is your name, Kitsune?" Yubi turned around, and studied the white, transparant figure of an elderly man, with narrow, kind eyes, and a distinctive gaotee.

"My name is Yubi, and I am a Werefox indeed. I follow the path of Air and Water, Gukutsushi. I have allied myself with a group of Garou, that are in the process of ousting a treacherous Namebreaker!", she answered Aki. While in conversation with the ancestor spirit, she glanced to her left and right, keeping an eye on the other paintings. Each of the scrolls was guarded by a similar Bane, and she wondered if they would abandon their task to engage her and Aki instead. "What do you know of this place, and how did you end up here anyways?"

"Old Ru, the Preacher was a powerful Mage, even before he was chosen by one of the Yama Kings to head this Triad. He used to roam the continent, using his dark powers to capture ancestor spirits and seal them in paintings. He had quite a collection of scrolls with him, when he reached the Monastery on Mount Asahidake, where I resided in this spirit-form for centuries after my death. He lured and tricked me with his art, and finally I ended up being displayed here on this very wall. This place is a Caern, and the old Mage has established a direct connection to its main spirit. It makes him almost invincible."

Yubi nodded, and pondered the situation, while she felt in her pocket for another kami. "We have a small, but determined group of allies in the physical world, confronting the Namebreaker at this moment. It seems it won't be an easy task, but I am convinced that, with your help, we can defeat Old Ru and his followers." She then explained her plan to the Stargazer ancestor spirit.

* * *

Arjuna turned, when he heard a loud crack behind him, and witnessed how the heavy redwood doors flew open. The thick bar that had been used to block them from the inside was shattered, and smaller pieces of wood dropped to the red carpet. The few Triadmembers guarding the door, which was the only way in or out, stumbled to the side, out of harms way. Then he saw Fang Yin and Aiko Rin enter the large room. The Philodox, who had taken her Crinos Form, glanced vigilantly around the hall, while she slowly made her way toward him and Ryota. Arjuna was sure that she had been the cause of the doors collapse. The young Ahroun, still in her human Form, followed close behind her.

"Gaia is benevolent! You have arrived just in time to relieve us, Fang Yin. Our Fenrir allies are about to fall under the pressure of our formidable opponents.", Ryota adressed the Philodox. He immediatelly turned his attention back to his _Tortoise_ spirit and a struggling Njal and Enok. The leader of Cherry Blossom Shrine pack was a Theurge, and surely the best healer Arjuna had ever met. But the old man's facial expression told him he would not be able to keep this up forever.

"Where is Chiaki?", Arjuna asked, while frowning at Fang Yin and Aiko Rin, one after another. An awkward feeling took hold of him, as he waited for their answer. "Chiaki rushed after you, and we initially lost sight of her. When we finally caught up with her again, she was fighting one or more of the Swords of Heimdall. They must have dragged her into the Umbra, before we could interfene." Arjuna felt his eyes go wet, and his stomach ache. "Well, why haven't you followed her and freed her yet? We must rescue her...immediatelly!", he uttered. "That is what we shall do! But not right now. All our efforts are needed here for the moment, Ragabash! We must defeat the Mage and his corrupt followers first, or there will be noone left to help your packmate!", Fang Yin answered. Her voice was calm but resolute, leaving no room for discussion.

"You know Fang Yin is right, Arjuna. There is no time for arguments now.", Ryota added, without taking his eyes of his spirit. Arjuna swallowed and shook his head. How could his packleader be so unsensitive? Deep down he knew Ryota was right, and Fang Yin was too...but Chiaki's life was in danger. If nobody would act rightnow, it was his primary duty to do so. He would never forgive himself if something bad would happen to his lover because of his own inaction! Aiko Rin stood before him and took his wrist in her slender hands, glancing up at him. Her big, dark eyes shone, reflecting the artificial light from the lamps on the ceiling of the room. "Please be sensible, big brother." Images started filling his mind. Images of Chiaki making him promise to free her from peril sometime in the recent past, and images of her laying dead in his arms, like a horrifying premonition. He finally pulled away from the young Ahroun's grib, and rushed past the girl towards the open doors.

Arjuna shrugged off the final doubts he had had about his choice to disobey the two packleaders, while he ran in the direction of the door. Every step he took reassured him that he was doing the right thing, and he started focussing on the possible obstacles in his path. His sudden spurt clearly caused confusion among the few Triadmembers. He changed into his Lupus Form, evading the guards that tried to intercept him and prevent his exit. The backpack he had carried with him in his human Form, was trailing behind him, it's shoulder belts still wrapped around his wolf torso. He dodged a strike with a Machete by his final opponent, and re-entered the revolving restaurant, leaving his allies behind. He continued to rush on, ducking beneath tables and jumping over fallen chairs, until he realised Chiaki could not be here anymore. He halted, braced himself, and crossed the gauntlet, stepping into the Umbra.

* * *

Fang Yin Li glanced at Aiko Rin Fuse, who kept silent while she stood between her and Ryota. The girl's eyes were fixed on the two Sword's of Heimdall, and the Philodox admired her pride. But when Aiko Rin noticed her stare, their eyes met, and she could see true fear in them. Today's skirmish would be an essential test for the young Ahroun. She would either survive it, and grow stronger. Or she would die, or possible humiliation, like the previous incident in the Jade Buddha Temple, would turn her into a nerve wreck for the rest of her life.

In Fang Yin's opinion young cubs, like Aiko Rin and Chiaki, should have been confronted with the reality of battle right after their first change. Nowadays young Garou children were often safely kept within the bawn of a sept's Caern, where they were pampered and spoiled until the end of their teenage years. Garou Elders did train them well in the traditional arts and rites, but many young Garou lacked the actual experience of a combat situation. When the moment finally came to confront the enemies of Gaia, fear could paralize the inexperienced cubs, and render them vulnerable to injury or even death. Her own youth had been filled with pain and hardship, from the moment she was bitten by a Werespider and lost half her kin, until Yumiko Sato the Wise eventually invited her to join the Silver Lotus pack, right here in this city. She would wish any Garou cub less hardship, less sadness, less fear..., but roaming the streets and fighting for her life, had made her who she was now. Determined, responsible, self-confident, and ready to face any Wyrm creature in battle, however wicked or powerful.

"I managed to heal part of Njal's wounds through the _Tortoise_ spirit. His aggravated wounds have been reduced to average injuries at least.", Ryota said, while examining the Fenrir's scarred body. She nodded and studied Njal. In his human Form the Ahroun still looked intimidating and imposing, but he would certainly realize by now, that he owed his life to the Theurge and his healing spirit.

"Well, someone surely made a big mess of things, while I was away..." Fang Yin turned around and saw the mocking grin on Yubi's face. The Kitsune ignored the angry roar that came from their last remaining Fenrir ally, who clearly took her remark as a personal insult, confident that she was well out of his reach. Instead Yubi adressed her directly, in mandarin chinese as usual.

"I found your ancestor spirit, and freed him. But he told me that this particular room, called the _Great Hall of Rites_ by the Triad, is actually the center of a Caern. As long as the Namebreaker remains here, he will be extremely powerful. The spirit therefore insists to remain hidden in the Mirror Lands, until Aiko Rin actively summons him.", Yubi said, while nodding at the young Ahroun. Fang Yin nodded, while she weighed the new information and the options they had now to defeat their opponents. They had to find a way to reach and take out the Mage, while fighting the two Swords of Heimdall.

"Njal, are you able to fight?", Fang Yin asked the Get of Fenris. The man looked up at her, frowning, as if she had asked a rediculous question. "As long as I have my limbs, I can fight. And if I loose those I will use my fangs on those Wyrm tainted traitors!" Fang Yin nodded. "Good! I grant you your revenge on the one called Jongeirr. Team up with Aiko Rin to defeat him. It will give you a chance to put right what you did to her before!", she said, ignoring his grunt. A resolute shake of her head cut off Aiko Rin's initial stammering protest against her decision. "I will take on the tall Fenrir myself. Ryota will heal us as well as possible.", she continued.

"What do you want me to do, boss?", Yubi asked her, again in mandarin chinese, ignoring the others. "You will focus all your efforts on the Namebreaker, Kitsune!" The Werefox frowned at her, while she took a little piece of paper from her pocket. "To take on the Triads leader is one thing. But what about that row of followers, circling us? You cannot be serious, if you think I can fight them all, while you are busy with the two Fenrir?", she uttered, waving her tails. Fang Yin smiled at her. "I would have asked Arjuna and Chiaki to assist you with it, but one got caught and the other decided to rush off in the heat of battle. I am sorry, but you will just have to be...inventive, Yubi!", she answered in a neutral voice. She noticed the Kitsune's grin, and the nod of confirmation. At least Yubi saw the humor in all of this... Then she finaly turned to face the Fenrir for the decisive battle.

* * *

When Chiaki Hasekura awoke, she found herself dangling on the broad, furry shoulder of a Garou, approximatelly two meters above the ground. The werewolf carried her with big strides through the large dininghall, causing her to swing to and fro with every step. While she fought a headache, that was increased by the fact that she hung with her head downwards, her cheek resting against an oily pelt, she caught an upsidedown glimpse of the other women present. They all stared after her, their eyes filled with a mix of pity and fear, but none of them rose to help her in any way. They just continued with their chores, as if she was not there. The cubs and children didn't pay attention to her either, and commenced playing their games.

Chiaki turned her attention back to the Garou that carried her away, and tried to identify him. Her eyes widened when she recognized the long, gold chain around his neck. She remembered her earlier conversation with Isalind and Svanhild, and a horrifying image filled her mind. "Let me go, you pervert! Get your hands off of me!", she yelled, while flailing about, using her knees and elbows to thrust at the Garou's body. Severin Lurks-the-young, who obvously was her assailant, halted, and she felt his large paw grabbing her by the waist, his sharp claw clenching her nightrobe. When he got hold of her, he pulled her down towards him, pressed her close against his chest, and wound the gold chain swiftly around her neck with his free paw.

"You are being quite a nuisance, little pet! Your resistance gives a bad example to the other goodwives, present. If you won't calm down and behave, I will just have to force you into obedience!", the Fenrir whispered in her ear. Chiaki tried to continue her resistance, but the iron grip of Severin's powerful Crinos arm restrained her, and the stranglehold of the Fetish chain choked her, quickly exhausting her efforts. Finally she gave in, resting her body against his chest, relaxing all her muscles. She raised her hands and positioned her fingers around the chain's shackles, while gasping for air.

That was clearly not enough to satisfy her sadistic assailant. He threw her to the ground, and resumed his stride while pulling her with him, using the gold chain as a leash. Chiaki was dragged forward across the stone tiles, the tender skin of her bare knees and upper legs ripped open by the friction. She frantically tried to pull at the chain which cut off her air supply, using her right hand, while attempting to awkwardly hop on the palm of her left one and her knees and toes, to avoid more injuries. When the Fenrir finally halted, and released his grip on the chain-leash, a daze, caused by the lack of air in her brain, nearly blocked out the agonizing pain. She rolled on her back, pulled her knees up to her chest, and caught a glimpse of her bruised legs and hips. Tears sprung from her eyes, while she thought of a way to escape.

Chiaki turned her attention back to Severin, who grabbed her hands roughly, wrapped the Fetish chain tightly around her wrists, and tied the other end of it to the stone legs of a large, sculptured chair on a podium behind her. She turned over on her belly, supported herself with her bound hands, and crawled to her knees. She bit her teeth against the pain, while she studied her situation. The chain did not give her much room to move, since it connected her neck directly to her hands, and both her hands to the chair. The sculptured chair had the shape of a chinese style throne, and was painted in the colours yellow and gold. When she tried to pull at the chain, with the little strenght she had left, she realized there was no way she could move the throne from its spot.

That was when she noticed Isalind and Svanhild. The two woman had followed their patron, and stood to her left now, just out of her arms reach. The face of the former showed a strange mix of concern and neutrality. The latter, who was one of Severin's other wives, showed a wicked grin. The agression Svanhild had shown her since they had met earlier, truly scared Chiaki. What in the name of Gaia had she done, that caused the woman to hate her this much?

She shivered when she felt a large hand on her lower back, and glanced to her right, where her eyes met Severin's. The Sword of Heimdall had changed back into his human Form, and he crouched next to her. His well muscled body shone with the same oily substance as his pelt had done in Crinos Form. He stank of sweat and alcohol, and she loathed him. The Fenrir's body was towering over her, and she had to look up to see his face. When the exhaustion finally forced her to lower her head, her eyes fell on the aroused manhood in his lap. He bend forward to kiss her mouth, and she felt the rough, blondish beard and mustache scratching the tender skin of her cheek. She shook her head desperatelly to ward him off but to no avail.

"You are quite beautiful, little pet! I have never seen a woman from the East with blue eyes before... You remind me of the women of my own lands. Too bad that there are so few of them here with us...so few who actually matter!", Severin said out loud, glancing at Svanhild for a short moment. There was pure resentment in his eyes, clearly not meant for her but for his Fenrir goodwife. What was going on between these two?

Then Chiaki felt his rough hands under her nightrobe. She noticed how he lifted the garment up, and fastened it with its cloth strap to the chain around her neck, thereby revealing her nude posterior to all present. He then moved to position himself behind her, and she used the moment to lift her head toward the two women for a final plea. "Please make him stop! My heart belongs to another man, while his should belong solely to you. However bad the situation of your sept is rightnow, if you have any dignity left, you should put a stop to this? Allowing this behaviour makes you forsake Gaia's blessing, and turns you into a mere puppet of the Wyrm."

* * *

Isalind turned her eyes away, the moment Severin forced himself on the young Stargazer. She had witnessed him and the other Garou from their sept, including her husband, Brent, do this many times before. Both she and her sister had embraced this behaviour, and therefore allowed the new women in their sept to be treated this way. It had been a practice even before they had arrived in this Gaia-forsaken place, called China. However unethical, it was the logical path to take for a small sept that was determined to revive a camp that had gone nearly extinct. But the final plea for mercy by Chiaki stuck in her mind, and caused her to feel rather uncomfortable with the whole situation, despite her believe in Jongeirr's doctrine.

She heard the girl's loud cries of pain, and fixed her restless eyes on Svanhild, who was observing her husband's intimacy. Her younger sister stood erect, and her face showed a determined smile, like it had done in similar situations with all the other goodwives before. But Isalind knew that Svanhild's heart must be filled with ache, as her sister had been unable to provide the sept with cubs. Severin had dropped her like a brick after finding out that she was not fertile, simply ignoring her and focussing his interest on the new females brought into the sept by weekly raids. Altough his behaviour was blunt and unsensitive, to say the least, it was completely logical according to their doctrine. However, Svanhild did not want to give up on her husband's love and attention. Her obvious jealousy of the new goodwives seemed to only motivate her in indulging Severin even more. It made her sad to see her sister in such a painful position.

Isalind bit her lip when she realized she was staring at Chiaki again. The Stargazer had shut her eyes, and released short, quiet yelps, while her upper body was moving rhythmically with the powerful thrusts of her violator. Severin sat on his knees behind the girl, his large hands on both sides of the girl's behind, pounding her continuously. The oily, hairy, white skin of his wide, muscled chest and abdomen, emphasized the contrast with her slender, yellow waist, lower back and round butt-cheeks. Suddenly he grabbed a drowsy Chiaki by her brownish hair, pulling her head back, causing her to open her eyes wide in shock. Svanhild used the moment to utter her frustations at the girl, standing in front of her, laughing madly in her face.

"Where is your proud talk now, Stargazer? You have not the slightest idea how lucky you are to have my husband accept you as his goodwife. Feeling his manhood inside you did at least shut you up!", her sister uttered, while squeezing Chiaki's cheeks hard between the thumb and fingers of her right hand. Isalind did not approve of the harsh methods her sister used to subdue the spirit of some of the goodwives. In her opinion violence against the women was only justified, if they openly disobeyed the doctrine. The doctrine said that the Sword of Heimdall Garou were at the top of the hierarchy, and the kinfolk should obey them and their every whim. Svanhild however, had convinced herself that the new goodwives from China had to answer to the two of them, the only kinfolk with Fenrir blood. Her behaviour was similar to that of a jealous empress of old, who had lost the affection of her husband, and took it out on his concubines.

Isalind noticed how Chiaki tried to say something to Svanhild. But her words came out as mere mumbles, while saliva was streaming from the corner of her mouth. Svanhild released her grip on the girl's cheeks in order to comprehend the meaning. Isalind joined her sister, crouching next to her, to be able to hear it too. "You will pay for this, after I recover! Your man is a violent brute, and a pathetic excuse for a Garou... and you are no better!", she heard the girl whisper, before Svanhild's flat hand cut off the sentence abruptly with a slab on her face. The Stargazer's face showed a swelling on the cheek, while blood streamed from her nose. Severin now growled angrily at her sister, and waved the two of them away threateningly. Svanhild kissed Chiaki swiftly on her forhead, before she backed away, out of her husband's reach. Couldn't she think of a more cruel way to mock her?!

Severin leaned forward and placed his left hand on the girl's neck, while he crouched behind her. His right hand moved along her belly and grabbed her breasts. Then he commenced his intercourse with Chiaki in a bestial manner, moving faster in and out of her vulva. The Stargazer, who's right cheek was pressed to the ground, moaned out loud. Isalind saw tears streaming across her face, before a lock of her brownish hair finally hid it from view. Her little body seemed to contort under the violent, heavy pile driving of the large man looming above her.

Isalind had seen this before, but somehow this time she realized that it was not right! Whatever the doctrine said, this was horrible... She turned to her sister, who was applauding, clapping her hands, like a deranged person. But she somehow didn't dare to speak up and end this scene. She just watched in silence... Severin started moaning in satisfaction with every thrust of his pelvis. The moaning changed into growling, like a wolf, and his human shape started to gradually morph into his Crinos Form. Finally the Sword of Heimdall's huge Werewolf body towered behind his helpless victim, pushing deeper and deeper inside her.

Svanhild's insane laugh formed an awkward contrast with Chiaki's desperate scream, when Severin reached his climax and released his load inside of her. The heavy Garou collapsed on top of the girl. She went down immediatelly, her head and chest forced flat against the cold floortiles. Isalind watched Svanhild fall to her knees, crying. It was hard to say if her sister was utterly happy or sad, now the Stargazer had become a true goodwife. When Severin rolled aside after a little while, his manhood exiting Chiaki, she somehow managed to crawl up and release a deafening howl.

* * *

Arjuna rushed into the large dininghall as quickly as his four paws could carry him. His sense of smell had led him through the layer of thin, grey mist in this Umbral reflection of the Triad's den, to this place. He recognized Chiaki's scent like no other, and it had become stronger and more fresh along the way. He was sure she must be near.

The Silent Strider noticed the many figures occupying the Hall, and he halted abrumptly, changing back into his human Form. Goose bumps covered his naked skin, caused by the cool, almost cold, admosphere in the spirit world. The low temperature had more affect on him now, without his lupus fur pelt warming him. He recognized most of the figures as seemingly ordinary women. Judging from their looks, he could have easily stumbled on most of them on any street in this city. There were a couple of children and Garou cubs present too, but no adult Garou as far as he could see from his current position. The mist prevented him from seeing the far side of the dininghall, though.

What were all these people doing here, and how had they managed to step into the Umbra? The presence of the Swords of Heimdall Garou and the few cubs should imply that they were kinfolk... But people could only enter the Umbra if, either some _shen_ had the ability to send them there, or if they entered an area where the gauntlet was neutral, like ... the center of a Caern. Could the top of this skyscraper in the center of Shanghai be a Caern? That would explain why both the Namebreaker and the Fenrir had chosen the revolving restaurant as their hideout.

Suddenly Arjuna heard a loud howl, that caused shivers through his spine and heightened all his senses at the same time. A desperate howl of this magnitude could only be a _Call of the Wyld;_ a howl enhanced by a gift, which Gaillards used to call for help or warn others when grave danger was at hand. He swallowed when he recognized the voice of his love. "Chiaki!", he cried, while he reached for the backpack, that still clung to his hip, fastened through its shoulder belt. Arjuna opened it, and slid his hand inside, his fingers touching the _Keris_. The wooden handle and sheath felt hot, as if they had just been ignited by Chiaki's very howl of distress, as if they were actually covered in flames. He knew that he might have to make a choice in the next few moments, that would have terrible consequences for him and ultimatelly for Chiaki. But there was no question in his resolve, if that choice was necessary in order to save the life of the girl he loved.

He threw the backpack away and ran through the grey mist in the direction of the howl. He passed between tables and chairs and ignored the women pointing and shouting at him. Then he noticed a throne-like chair on a podium, similar to the Namebreaker's chair in the physical world. When he neared it, he saw a young woman laying helpless on her knees and elbows. She was surrounded by two women and a man, who sat crouching behind her. He froze on the spot as if lightning had struck him, and cried out the name of his love in anguish, his bitter howl echoing through the Hall. "CHIAKI!"

The man did not wait for him to get a grip on the situation. He jumped up, changed into Crinos Form, and rushed at Arjuna. The Silent Strider felt the heavy impact of his assailants paw on the side of his head, pulverizing his cheekbone, and launching him through the air. His head felt heavy and his sight was partly blurred, but he somehow managed to get on his feet again. He tried to focus on his opponent, fighting the urge to turn his attention to Chiaki.

The Sword of Heimdall turned away from Arjuna, unfastening the gold chain from the legs of the throne-like chair. Then the Fenrir turned to Chiaki, unwinding the other end of the chain from her wrists and neck. "Arjuna!", she cried out, coughing, while rubbing her injured throat.

Arjuna shook his head, and fought the pain of his broken jaw, bracing himself for the inevitable. The formidable Fenrir, who's Crinos Form towered high above his own human Form, swung the chain treateningly through the air. The shackles of the weapon seemed to grow with every aerial turn, until every single one was the size of a human head. Its weight must also have increased, judging from the balanced stance the Sword of Heimdall was forced to take. His attack would surely be devastating, but it also offered Arjuna a much needed window of opportunity. The Fenrir's stance would immobilize him, making him vulnerable for a swift attack.

The Silent Strider took the carved sheath of the Keris in his left hand, while he lay the fingers of his right hand on the handle. Then he rushed forward, pulled the blade free of its sheath, and stretched his arm in front of him, pointing the weapon at his opponent. He started feeling an increasing tingling all across his body. The lucky curse of his mysterious weapon would bless him with an advantage in battle over his direct opponent. He miraculously managed to dodge the heavy chain, which had been launched at him with full force, the moment he had engaged his enemy. The next moment the top shackles hit the floor behind him with a loud clang, shattering stone, while the tip of his weapon's blade thrust through the skin of the Fenrir's side. The Fenrir released a howl of pain, and stumbled on his legs, while he pulled the blade free again.

"NO!", one of the two women screamed, and Arjuna was abrumptly thrown to the ground. He unconciously fended off the hits of the furious woman that crouched on top of him, glancing left and right, searching for his weapon. The second woman joined the first, trying to hit his head with her fists. He glanced past both of them at the Sword of Heimdall, who seemed to have recovered from the initial attack. The black furred Garou had picked up a large sword, and now turned towards him. He frantically pushed the first woman to the ground, while grabbing the hands of the second. The moment he saw the Fenrir's sword coming down toward him, he quickly rolled to the side, away from the woman. The sword's wide blade missed him by an inch, cutting of a strand of his long, dark hair. When he crawled to his feet, he noticed to his shock that most of the hair was grey. The age-stealing curse was the reason why he hardly ever used his Keris. Him wielding it today had begun to take its toll...

"I've got him, Severin. Kill him!", the woman that had jumped him earlier yelled. She had grabbed his leg, firmly, and even bit him. He noticed a strange mix of fanaticism and desperation in her eyes. While the Fenrir lifted his large, heavy sword oncemore, Arjuna finally spotted the Keris. He changed into his Lupus Form, and leaped toward his weapon, dragging the woman with him. The Fenrir missed him and the sword's blade hit the ground, followed by a loud roar of frustration. Arjuna retook his human Form, grabbed the Keris, and circled his main opponent's position. He had to wear the man down, ... but he had not much time left. He looked at his free hand, and noticed the dry, wrinkled skin... Not much time indeed!

"Isalind, he must have come for the Stargazer. We have to kill her!", the fanatic woman yelled. Arjuna peered through the layer of grey mist, trying to locate the Fenrir. He felt weaker and weaker, as if his lifeforce evaporated by the second. Then he finally heard the voice of his adversary. "Don't you dare kill my new goodwife, Svanhild! Don't you touch her, or I will tear you apart!" The Silent Stider braced himself and rushed at toward the Sword of Heimdall, who noticed him too late to use his heavy sword.

The Garou dropped his weapon, turned, and swung his sharp claw at Arjuna's head instead. The attack missed him miraculously, and he thrust his Keris upward with all the strenght he had left, right into the Fenrir's throat. His fingers finally released the handle of his controversial weapon, but he was too late. It was the last action he managed to perform. His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, helpless... His opponent dropped to the floor next to him, lifeless. The tip of his weapon's sinuous blade stuck out of the top of the Garou's skull. Arjuna managed to turn his head towards Chiaki, for a final glance at his love. Chiaki and him were meant to be together, and they had both fought for acceptance. But their forbidden love had been torn asunder... At least she was save now. He forced a smile when he met the Gaillard's blue eyes. Then he died...

_The one that loved will sacrifice. (__Scriptures of the Bloodsword - __Band of Brothers)_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6 - A Shrine beseiged**

Izumi Rolling-Pebble hurried through the moist grass of Peach Twig Meadow. She barely noticed the tender bombardment of cold, thick raindrops on her muzzle. The bawn's perimeter had been breached only moments before, and if she would linger or lose her way now, fellow guardians might die! Luckily she was able to distinguish the concealed paths from the false trails that were set up to mislead intruders. She couldn't afford to waste any time while the caern was under attack. While she ran she glanced to her right, and noticed an Aralin spirit guiding two Garou through the dark meadow. The group was obviously rushing in the same direction. Izumi recognized Shinobu Tanaka and Miyoko Watanabe, and she joined up with the two Garou and the spirit without slowing her pace.

"Did you feel that too, Izumi? Something powerful was tapping the energies of the Caern! I can still feel the tension through my connection with the local spirits", Shinobu uttered, while wiping wet strands of hair from her face. The young woman did not have much experience in guarding a caern, which Izumi considered to be a specialized task not all Garou were qualified to handle. But the ordeal Shinobu's pack had overcome during their recent mission in Europe, would surely make up for that. Battle hardened Garou, like Shinobu and Miyoko, were what Cherry Blossom Shrine needed so badly rightnow. Moreover, her means of contact with the spirits was badly needed, since Fumio Heals-with-Vigor was the only other Theurge present.

"I am not sure how or what, but something managed to dissolve part of the illusion that hides the entrance to our caern and village. Without the illusion we won't be able to protect the paths from intruders during a frontal attack. We simply do not have enough guardians present here at the moment.", Izumi responded, while searching the dark meadow frantically for the cause of the disturbance. The rain had caused shallow puddles to form in the grass all across the meadow.

"I can feel the wail of the caern totem. The draining of energies and the leaking of gnosis must have its effect on it too. If we don't stop the cause of this fast, the spirit dies and the caern will be up for graps!", Shinobu said, while glancing back at Miyoko, who had halted. Izumi turned to observed the Ahroun, who raised her hand and drew her sword from its sheat on her back. The weapon looked rather short, compared to the swords she had seen other _shen_ wield before, but that seemed to be intentional. A blade that was not longer than ones arm, could be wielded in confined spaces during close combat, where a full-lenght Katana might be useless.

"We are not alone! Be on your guard.", Miyoko whispered, while glancing vigilantly around. Izumi noticed how Shinobu raised one hand to her chest, touching the scales of the red necklace hanging around her neck. That necklace used to be part of Cherry Blossom Shrine's sacred relics armory. The armory, situated in the very heart of the caern, served as a weapon supply for the guardians. Ciran had lend the Fetish to the Theurge to be used during her pack's mission in Paris. Later he had refused to accept it back, ordering her to keep it as a reward for her service to Gaia and their Tribe. In Izumi's opinion the young woman had certainly earned the necklace, and she was happy to see it being put to good use again by defending their caern today.

"Miyoko and Shinobu, I am going to 'hide' now, but I will stay right next to you. Just continue to follow the path we are on, but be on your guard.", Izumi said, and then she turned to the spirit. "Please go back and find Takeo for me! We need him and fast.". She took one of the small beads of clay from the belt pouch around her waist, opened her jaw, and swallowed it. The next moment her Crinos body sunk to the ground, gradually absorbed by the earth beneath her paws. The bead, a Trapdoor boon, was the kind of Fetish the guardians had plenty of, since Fumio could create them with relative ease. She wasn't sure if they had enough to defend their caern throughout the Apocalypse, though. Not if Fumio would die... Izumi remembered Ciran's dreadful vision, and suddenly fear took hold of her. She pushed away the fear, and thought about the young guardians and the little cubs in the sept. Fear was no option for her and the other Elders. If they would fall the caern and the sept would too.

Izumi was literally part of the soil now, which provided a perfect cover to spot and ambush intruders. Altough she had no limbs, eyes, or mouth in this Form, it allowed her to move, see and talk. However, a guardian would seldom talk after using a Trapdoor boon, since that was the easiest way to let an observant enemy discover your presence. Moreover, there was no way to attack or defend in this Form. She could choose to reappear and retake her Crinos Form at any time, but that would end the effect of the bead, and an experienced guardian knew better than to waste Fetish equipment.

The dirt path they were on led through Peach Twig Meadow, past the _Tower of eternal Virtue_, where it left the bawn. The dark outline of the stone pagoda, partly hidden by Dwarf Pines, was clearly visible on the hill in front of them, which meant they were close to the border of the caern's territory. Thick reed would replace grass and Peach tree there, which offered possible intruders an excellent place to hide. Izumi expected to find the source of tonights disturbance there. Takeo, her packmate and the Warden of the caern, should have been here already? Something must have slowed him down. It would take something nasty to stop him, and she prayed he was alright. They were in need of him, and any other guardian available.

"Something is approaching us up ahead. Shinobu, get behind me!", Miyoko said, while she took a defensive stance in the middle of the path. The constant splatter of raindrops, that slid down across her forehead, along her nose and cheeks to her chin, didn't seem to bother her at all. Izumi noticed a man-like figure about ten meters ahead of them, just where the path took a turn to the right. Altough the shadow of a lone Peach tree hid his features, she wondered about the man's size. The figure seemed too tall for an average man...even for a Garou. He did not attack, though. He did not even move. "Well, it doesn't seem likely he will grant us passage... Let's walk up to him, and see what he wants."

The moment Miyoko ended her stance to engage the tall man blocking their way, another dark figure rose up from the low grass to the right of the dirt path. His sudden appearance surprised Izumi, and she wondered how the newcomer had been able to hide that close without them noticing. There was no tree, Dwarf Pine, or any other low vegetation he could have used as a cover, accept for grass and rainpuddles. The figure rushed straight at the Ahroun, raising a short sword which gleamed in the moonlight. Miyoko quickly turned, kicking up mud with her shoes, and parried the blade of the ninjato with her own sword. From the opposite side of the path a similar figure rose, and sped toward a surprised Shinobu, who stumbled backwards.

Izumi retook her Crinos Form, rising up from the wet sand and dirt of the path, and intercepted the unsuspecting second attacker, mangling its head with a powerful swipe of her right claw. She released a loud roar, jumped on top of her victim, and tore open its throat with a fast strike of her left claw. When she had made sure the attacker was dead, she turned to assist Miyoko.

The Ahroun had gained the upperhand, and with a quick counterattack she broke through her opponents defence, cutting off both his arms by the elbows. The attacker released a loud scream, that sounded more like the screetch of a large insect, after which its body fell apart in a rain of spiders. Hundreds of the tiny creatures covered the ground now, circling the lifeless limbs as if to try and carry them away. "Ananasi! We should have expected to see more of them.", she heard Miyoko curse. The woman raised her right arm to wipe her face dry, which obviously did not help much.

Izumi then turned her attention back to the tall man on the road ahead of them. She estimated he must be at least as tall as her Crinos Form, but it was hard to see clearly in the dark, especially during this kind of rainshower. Suddenly he engaged her, running towards them, increasing his speed with every step. When a beam of moonlight finally illuminated the left side of the creature, she noticed the wrinkled redish skin on the side of its huge head, left arm and leg. It seemed to wear no clothing, in contrary to the two other attackers. Izumi took a balanced stance, bracing herself to brawl with the creature. However, when it had crossed half the distance to them, it opened its mouth wide... clearly too wide to be physically possible for an average human or animal, and the bright light of fire blinded her vision.

In a reflex Izumi covered her muzzle with her left Crinos arm, but almost immediatelly the smell of burning fur and the pain of flames eating away the tissue of her arms and chest caused her to panick. Water! She impulsivelly thought of the rainpuddles in the meadow, and ran off of the path in a random direction. Feeling grass beneath her paws, she dove forward to the ground, hoping to land in water. Then she felt a cold spread all across her body, and the pain was gone. Her sight gradually returned to her, and she noticed that the flames had disappeared. A lone tear, the result of the agonizing pain from a moment ago, mixed with the drops of rain running down her muzzle. Where was Takeo...?

* * *

Takeo Slicer-of-bamboo, Warder of Cherry Blossom Shrine caern, rushed back into the guestroom of the Shinto Shrine, alarmed by Hikari's sudden scream. The young woman, who was one of the sept's kinfolk, had been attending to Ciran Far-Traveller this evening, serving tea. She was a timid soul, who took pride in serving the Grand Elder, and barely ever showed emotion, except for a kind smile now and again. Hearing her scream like this in the middle of the night, could only mean serious trouble!

The Warder had actually left the Shrine only a minute ago. He had been on his way to investigate a strange disturbance of the bawn's perimeter. Both Ciran and him had felt it, and some of the younger guardians present had too. It had felt as if something was eating away their Gnosis, slowly but surely, and the weird feeling had not stopped even now. But the disturbance had to wait. His immediate priority was the security of Ciran, the caern's spirit, and the Shrine's relics armory. Izumi would have to assemble the other available guardians and spirits, and investigate the problem by herself, until he was done here.

The moment he entered, he noticed several bodies laying on the floor. Ciran lay lifeless behind the little bamboo table in the middle of the room. To the left and right lay the bodies of two Garou, who had been visiting the Grand Elder. Takeo glanced across the room, searching frantically for the killer. Then he spotted Hikari in a far corner. She sat on the floor with her back against the wall, softly pleading for her life. In front of her he finally noticed the spider. The tiny creature moved dangerously close to the kinfolk woman, ready to strike at her.

The Warder responded quickly to the imminent thread. He cast a gift, known to only a few Stargazer Ahroun, called _Spirit Shackles_. Then he ran forward, while lifting his bamboo staff, and striking at his target. The spider, its motion hampered by Takeo's gift, was unable to evade the attack in time, and was crushed, leaving the wet stain of a pulverized exoskeleton on the stone floor. Takeo turned his attention to Hikari now. He lay his staff on the floor next to him, and crouched in front of the kinfolk woman, putting his arms around her. She lay her head against his chest, and he heard her silent weeping. "Don't cry. You are save now!", he whispered in her ear, trying to comfort her.

Takeo himself, however, was restless. How could this have happened? How had this assassin been able to strike in the heart of their village...in the caern itself? The bawn was protected by an illusion, which kept diverting uninvited guests to the meadow, covering the outer perimeter of the caern grounds. There had been many attempts to invade or infiltrate Cherry Blossom Shrine in recent history, but never had the illusion failed them. Moreover, his guardians kept a vigilant watch over the sept's territory in the physical world, while Fumio and the local spirits guarded the Umbral reflection of the grounds. He glanced at Ciran's corps, and shook his head in disbelieve.

Ciran-Far-Traveller had not just been a Grand Elder to him. He had much respect for the honest, selfless and respectful manner in which the old Garou had always treated others. Takeo had not always agreed with his decisions or views, especially on matters regarding contact with hostile Gaia factions or even minions of the Wyrm. Ciran always urged that keeping in touch with your enemies, could strengthen a sept's security. The Warder was himself of the opinion, that a sept should draw a line in the sand, and keep the enemy from crossing it, whatever the cost. But most of all, Ciran had been a good friend. He growled and bit his teeth.

A sudden, loud howl echoed through the guestroom, initially alarming Hikari and upsetting her even more. The young woman pulled Takeo against her tightly, clenching his traditional Zen Robe. The Warder however had recognized the familiar sound to be Fumio's. He turned his attention to the elderly Lupus Garou, who had seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Fumio hardly ever left the Spirit world. He spend his days communicating with the local spirits, constructing new Fetishes and patrolling the Umbral reflection of the bawn. The Theurge bend his muzzle across Ciran's body, sniffing at the Grand Elder's expressionless face.

"I arrived too late to save him, and the other two..., but the assassin is dead, at least. The spider is most likely Ananasi", Takeo said, while he got up, assisting Hikari as she rose too. He adjusted his black Robe, and bend down to pick up his bamboo staff. Fumio answered him with a series of short yelps, while making his way to Hikari. "Yes, Fumio. It seems the Silent Fangs of Ananasa have openly chosen sides, now the Apocalypse is upon us."

Takeo was distracted by a sudden scream and much yelling, coming from the inner rooms of the Shrine. "Hikari, go to the residential quarters and get us help. Bring any kinfolk you can find here, and take care of these bodies.", he told the young woman. He turned to Fumio, and kneeled in front of the Lupus Garou. "Go and mobilize the caern spirits in the Umbra. I need you to assist me from there!" Then he got up and rushed through the inner corridor of the Shrine, toward the relics armory.

When he arrived in the backroom of Cherry Blossom Shrine, which contained the armory, the first thing that caught his eye, were the bodies of more septmembers laying on the floor. All three were kinfolk servants. Their opponent's tactic had been well thought through. The initial disturbance had lured the guardians away to the outer area of the bawn, which left the central Shrine rather defenseless. And somehow they had managed to avoid the illusion protecting the bawn, and reach the Shrine in a relative short time. Maybe he was still in time to save some lives, while securing the caern center, at least?

The Warder then turned his attention to the intruders. He could make out four fingures, who were just exiting the armory, carrying heavy bags obviously filled with priceless Fetish weapons. Two men, wearing long, black jackets, pants, and masks covering their faces, were fastening bags on the torso of a third Ananasi in Lilian Form. He recognized the only woman in the group. She was the Werespider head assassin, who had visited the Shrine not long ago with Ciran's permission. Takeo cursed.

"I should have killed you last time. I knew you were up to no good! But this time you won't have the Grand Elder to vouch for you, virmin!" The woman turned her attention to him and smiled wickedly. "If it isn't the brave Warder of Cherry Blossom Shrine... I am so sorry I cannot face you rightnow. I have other obligations to fullfill. But I promise you a dual to the death the next time we meet...if there is a next time for you!", she said mockingly. Then her body fell apart in a stream of tiny spiders, which crawled outside through the thin cracks in the wooden wall. He was left with two Ananasi.

* * *

Shinobu Tanaka responded quickly, when she saw Izumi's pelt catch fire. The Philodox had suffered a direct hit from the Bakemono's flame-attack, and it would not take very long until those flames would do their aggravated damage. Whatever mixture of flamable liquids the Wyrm creature had released upon her fellow Stargazer to cause this inferno, the rain would surely not be enough to put it out in time. Izumi started running away from her attacker, obviously in pain and shock, burning brightly like a living torch illuminating the dark meadow.

Apparently Miyoko had come to realize that she was the next nearest target. The Ahroun cursed out loud, and ran off in the opposite direction, leaving the dirt path and Shinobu behind her. The Bakemono was distracted by the Ahroun's action, and started following her across the meadow. Shinobu sighed with relief, and ran after Izumi as fast as she could. She whispered the ancient Japanese chant, and the spirit of a Kirin spawned in front of her. The Kirin radiated a bright, white light, that lit up the area around it. She found the heavily injured Philodox laying on the grass floor not far from her. Izumi's once so beautiful white fur was now stained black and still burning, despite the heavy rain.

Shinobu took off her brown cardigan, which had become soaked, and threw the garment across her fellow Garou's pelt to put out the flames. Then she used a gift called _Command Spirit_ and ordered the Kirin to heal the Philodox's wounds. She had always been poor at healing herself, for a Theurge. Fortunately she owned the red-scaled necklace, which seemed to harbour many powerful abilities. She had only recently discovered that the Fetish could heal a certain amount of aggravated damage, through the spirit it spawned. It would hopefully enable her to save many lives during the upcoming great battle, the Apocalypse.

"Are you able to move, Izumi?", she said, while examining the patches of burned fur for injuries. "I think I'm ok now, Shinobu... Don't wait for me. Go and find Miyoko! She probably needs you more than I do.", the Philodox answered her, while her paws felt for the belt pouch around her waist. Shinobu watched Izumi take something small out of the pouch, and swallow it. The Garou gradually disappeared into the muddy ground of the meadow. The Theurge now rose, and turned in the direction Miyoko had fled. First she took off the necklace, to make the Kirin spirit vanish. The creature's bright appearance would only give away her position to other intruders within the bawn. What she needed was stealth. She refastened the necklace, and rubbed its red scales with her fingertips. Then she started running after her dear friend and packmate. Would she be on time?

* * *

Miyoko Watanabe's hand clenched the hilt of her tiger folded Wakizashi, while she ran through the dark meadow. The Ahroun cursed at herself for underestimating the power of the creature that was now chasing her. The giant Bakemono had torched Izumi, possibly causing the Philodox burns that could never be healed. She would not have that happen to her or Shinobu. Not if she could help it, anyway.

It initially had been her intention to distract the creature, and to lure it after her, in order to buy Shinobu some time to help the injured guardian. The Bakemono, however, was faster than she had anticipated, and not far behind her. She could hear its loud snarls and grunts clearly, as if the creature was an enraged bull or a rabid dog. The size of this monster was not her biggest problem, though. Its possible flame attack was! How could she fight that with a sword?

She wiped her left underarm across her face, in an effort to get rid of the rainwater hampering her sight. The grassy meadow had turned to mud here, and every step she made, caused the water and dirt to splash up against her pants. The mud actually slowed her down more and more, and she felt as if she was running through a swamp. Sooner or later she would be forced to turn around and face her opponent.

Suddenly a dark shape rose up from the grass a few meters ahead of her. The shape initially looked like a man, with a human head, upper body and arms. It kept on growing, however, until it was twice her height. Miyoko noticed the multiple stilts, supporting a round fat torso, that seemed to form the creatures lower body. Another Ananasi! How many of these creatures had managed to infiltrate the bawn already? How to fight it with the Bakemono on her tail?

Miyoko did not slow down, but engaged her new opponent immediatelly, taking the initiative. She stopped short of the much taller Werespider, and made a feint with her sword directed at its large maw. The Ananasi moved to block her attack with a ninjato it wielded in its left hand. Then it counterattacked with the sword in its right hand, aiming at her head. Miyoko ducked, evading the blade, and spun around on her knees, swinging _Seigi_. The blade of her Wakizashi cut through one of her opponents legs, as if it was made of butter, severing the limb. She quickly moved her weapon in a defensive position above her head, to block both straight blades of the Ananasi at once. Impulsively she pushed the blades aside, jumped up, and stabbed fiercely at her opponents head. The tip of Seigi ripped through the Ananasi's left eye, impaling its head through the socket.

Then Miyoko remembered the Bakemono, and withdrew her sword, spinning around to face it. When she met the creature's eyes, she realized she was too late. It stood two meters behind her, and had just opened its mouth, inhaling deeply. The next moment a large flame was released on her, and she braced herself for the imminent agony that was going to follow. But unexpectedly the fire never touched her. The cloud of flames was parted right in front of her, forcing the fire to pass her person by in an unnatural way. She glanced behind her at the Ananasi, who did not have the same luck. The Werespider caught fire, released a horrible screach, until its body imploded into its Crawlerling Form in a desperate attempt to save its life. Hundreds of burning spiders fell to the wet mud, causing an awkward glow in the darkness.

Miyoko came to her senses, realizing that this Bakemono's major weapon was somehow useless against her. She rushed forward, raising Seigi, and struck at the tall creature. Blood splashed across her already wet face, as the blade of her Wakizashi decapitated her opponent. Exhausted, she dropped to her knees, splashing up wet mud. Had the Apocalypse started yet? If it had not, and the situation would get any tougher than this, she had serious doubts about their chances to survive it, despite Ciran's prediction.

She stared at the heap of flesh that was left of the tall Bakemono. It lay silent in the mud, like a huge rock, while the impact of countless raindrops on the service of the skin caused a serenade of pitter-patter. There were too few guardians here to hold the caern. She had not met all of the Garou or kinfolk of this sept, but she could make a trustworthy estimate. Cherry Blossom Shrine was not a well fortified caern, and depended on illusions to deceive invaders. Some of the experienced guardians were away on missions or errands, which left the caern with only a hand full. The young Garou who temporarily replaced them, were no match for what they were facing now... Miyoko prayed for Fang Yin to return soon.

"You must either be a highly skilled avatar of Luna herself, or just an extremely lucky individual, Stargazer. Any other creature would have been burned to mere ash." Miyoko turned her attention to the short, plump man, who had just spoken. She recognized him to be one of the guardians, who had arrived at Cherry Blossom Shrine only yesterday. Izumi had told her he had returned from an assignment in Kyoto. According to the Philodox, his name was Masa Silk Tale, a _Nezumi_. The man with the pointy face and rough beard, was a member of Izumi's _Peach Twig Meadow_ pack. It was not common for a non-Garou to permanently join a pack of Garou. The Hengeyokai mostly joined in sentai, which consisted of different _shen_.

* * *

Kazuhiko the Artist peered through the dense Reed in the direction of the meadow, that hid the Stargazer Caern, and smiled broadly. Everything seemed to go according to his plan, which meant that major damage had been dealt to his opponents, without them even realizing it. All he needed to do was to wait for Ume to return. The useful information she had given him about this Caern and the Garou sept that was defending it, had formed the foundation for his plan. Depending on her success, he would either allow his platoon, consisting of nearly one hundred Bakemono and Werespiders, to move ahead and take over this Caern, or withdraw to lay siege until the main army arrived.

"Artist, our vanguard hasn't returned yet! Did I not tell you that these Werespiders cannot be trusted? You should have listened to my suggestion. Allow me to lead two full squads of my Bakemono inside the bawn. We will take care of those pitiful guardians for you quickly, and the Caern will be yours before you blink!" Kazuhiko smirked, and turned his attention to the fat man beside him. _Aoi, the Oni-Slaying Demigod_, had not been his first choice for commander of his platoon of Bakemono. The Fomori was not very smart, if not seriously deranged, and a little unpredictable during the heat of battle. But he could brawl like a cornered beast, and seemed to have the respect of the troops from the Wicked City.

Lolle Belle had been very clear about her refusal to grant him _Haneul_. The Black Witch needed _The Twelve Bladed Demigod_ to lead the main army, that was conquering another Caern in Kyoto with her tonight. Haneul was the apitamy of an organic killing-machine. His fierce appearance would put fright into the heart of any _shen_, whether Garou or Bakemono. But next to that, he also had brains, was fairly reliable, and never disobeyed a direct command. Aoi was surely no Haneul. But he would do for this task.

"You seem to have misunderstood me, Aoi." Kazuhiko said, while meeting the eyes of his deputy-commander. There was defiance in those eyes, which was something he had to get rid of immediatelly, before it underminded his authority. He glanced at three Bakemono who were standing in attention behind Aoi, waiting for the man's next command. Kuzuhiko chose the tallest Fomori among them, a Fire breath demon, and rushed at him without a second thought. While he ran through the mud, he placed the tips of his right hand fingers together, causing them to change into one long, shiny scalpel. He jumped forward, climbed his surprised victim with the agility of a monkey, and cut the creatures throat before it could open its mouth to counterattack. The Bakemono released an awkward grunt, after which it collapsed lifeless to the grass floor.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter ****7 - To Slay Giants**

Norio Tsuda lay back, spread his arms, and lowered them on top of the backrest of the comfortable three-person backseat. The black limousine, property of one of Tokyo's reknown yakuza Oyabuns, was pimped with all the extravagant luxuries a criminal of that stature would ever need. It had four tv screens, one of which was 32 inches in diameter. There was a massive sound system, high quality leather seating, a full bar, and even a Playstation 3 Game console. The windows, except for the rear one, were blacked out, hiding their activities from pedestrians passing the car. The man who owned this car and a similar, white one, following close behind it, would not be using the vehicle himself for some time to come. He would not, since a Kuei-jin had enticed him, confiscating his strongmen and goods for her own use.

"I wonder what your friends are thinking right now, Mister Tsuda?", Eri said playfully, while staring through the rear window at the limousine trailing behind them. Norio studied the young Kuei-jin standing in front of him. She was bending forward in order not to bump her head against the car ceiling, and had placed her hands on his knees to support herself, while glancing past him. "I got the feeling they did not like me too much? Especially your female friends did not. I wonder what I did to deserve that?", she continued. Norio noticed Eri licking her lips in a sensual way, making them wet, obviously to tease him. Then she raised a hand, and used a little remote control to black out the rear window too. She placed the device on top of the leather guitarcase that lay to his left, on the backseat. The case held both Norio's guitar, and ofcourse _Goji_, his Katana. It seemed to be another attempt to try and provoke him, since the girl knew accactly what the guitarcase held.

Eri had somehow managed to take control of all yakuza _gumi_ in Tokyo within days, in addition to what was left of Goro Shobo's powerbase. It was not uncommon for a Kuei-jin to seek and acquire a position of power in the capital city, but the short period in which she had accomplished this was impressive. It made her fairly dangerous, not just to him, but also to his allies and friends. But something kept Norio from killing Eri, like he would have done with any other Kuei-jin that posed a threat to his city. Yamei Sunbeam had warned him that the girl must be _Shikome_, which was very likely when he thought about it, but still... He firmly believed she was not just another average opponent, who's teeth would decorate his belt, eventually. There must be some special reason for her reappearance. Yamei had mentioned signs that implicated the Apocalypse was about to commence. If those signs were true, maybe Eri played some crucial role in the outcome?

Norio had never cared about the fate of vampires or Kuei-jin. A Deamon Eater's task was to hunt them down and kill them in Gaia's name, without remorse. Norio was bound to his city by a vow he once made to rid it of the undead. He had never considered making exceptions before, but with Eri this had changed. He did care for her! When he had first seen her, little more than a week ago, he had felt instantly attracted to her. After the girl was murdered right in front of him, he had felt utterly sad and gloomy, as if one of his fellow Deamon Eaters had passed away. The experience had distracted him for days, until her sudden reappearance.

Eri had approached him yesterday, at the foodcourt in Shinjuku ward, and she had offered him a truce and her...affection. They had agreed, that they had a common enemy. Norio realized it was an enemy who posed a far greater danger than the late Goro Shobo, or probably any other Kuei-jin he had ever hunted before. This new enemy, Kimiko Hinaru, had a position of power, that would allow her to destroy Tokyo, the city he had vowed to protect with his life. Norio needed Eri, and she needed him. He stubbornly refused to believe that their mutual affection was all due to her gift of manipulation as a Shikome...

Norio swallowed, while he watched Eri turn and sit down on his lap, her back towards him. She wasn't heavy at all, but her pushing her behind against his member made him instinctively place his hands on her hips. The pleated, blueish skirt of her schooluniform hid the slender curves of her waist and hips seductively well. He did not have to lift the skirt to know, that she was not wearing any panties. The young Kuei-jin looked across her shoulder and smiled at him, her beautiful, dark eyes shining with excitement. She nodded toward the men occupying the three-person seat opposite them, and put a finger to her lips, urging him to be quiet. Eri had a wicked sense of humor, and surely knew how to taunt him. He had been so occupied with her, that he had forgotten about their presence.

He glanced past her at the three men. The one sitting in the middle was Bien Shadow-Cane, a Shadow Lord who had joined their cause only yesterday. He did not know much about the man, except for what Ming Claw-of-Emeishan had told him. Bien was obviously blind, but according to the Weretiger he was an impressive swordfighter. The dark glasses and white cane did not give Norio that impression at all. He was truly wondering of what use a blind Garou could be in a hunt, either now or during the upcoming Apocalypse? Bien was Norio's only Garou ally in the car, though. He was more or less a compromise, since Eri had refused to allow any of the other vampire hunters, including Daniella, too close to her. Knowing the Black Furie's temper, Norio thought it to be a wise decision.

The other men were Eri's yakuza guards, both stout men, wearing fine tailored greyish suits and armed with handguns, hidden in leather holsters under their jackets. One of them was missing two fingers on his right hand. Norio had only been allowed to enter the limousine, earlier, after the pair had searched both him and Bien thoroughly, which proved they knew how to do their job well. What had struck the Deamon Eater as awkward, was the way they yielded to the authority of the young Kuei-jin. Even now both men were either staring down at their knees, or at one of the tv screens, pretending not to notice Eri's advances toward him. This made Norio quite uncomfortable, but it clearly amused the Kuei-jin.

Eri took off her blue tie, and started to unbutton her white shirt. He felt how she moved her bum against his lap, turning her hips in a circle-like motion, trying to arouse him. After her final button came undone, she let her shirt slide down across her shoulders, revealing her slender back to him. Norio stared in awe at the beautiful body tattoo that covered Eri's skin from her neck down to her skirt. She must have had it done within the past few days. He was sure her skin had been unmarked during their previous intimacy at the day of her death, not more than a week ago. He took a moment to study the horimono masterpiece. It was obviously a work in progress, judging from certain inktless areas within the overall design. Moreover, her legs were still without tattoo. He figured that the latter might have been done on purpose, since her schooluniform would not be able to hide tattoos there.

"Well, Mister Tsuda? Do you like my new look? Do you think it is...sexy?", Eri whispered, while glancing at him across her shoulder. She removed her long, dark hair with her right hand, encouraging him to study the _entire_ masterpiece. Norio's eyes followed the blueish and reddish figures depicted on the skin of her back. The main figure was that of a woman in extacy, face upwards with closed eyes and tongue out of her mouth, dripping saliva. She seemed to push her breasts up with her own hands. Sword-like extensions, similar to the bone weapon Norio had seen Eri wield at the foodcourt, were originating from the woman's elbows. The figure's lower body, depicted at about the height of Eri's waist, was covered by multiple, powerful hands and claws. The hands of men, and the claws of _shen_! When he looked closer, he noticed that the hands and claws were formed by dozens of names, male names, written in ink. He lifted her skirt to examine the rest of the tattoo, and saw that the hands originated from a colourful lotusflower on her lower back, just above her tailbone.

"It is beautiful, but what does it all mean? The woman depicted is you, right? But what is the meaning of all these names?", he whispered in return, while sliding his fingers against the tattooed skin. Eri smiled, and turned around to face him, sitting down on his lap. "You have sharp eyes! The woman is me...and the names are of men who... Well, let us just asume that they had something I wanted _badly_.", she whispered in his ear. "I want you badly, Norio. I want you right now!" Norio took a deep breath, when he felt the young girl's hands unbuttoning his pants, and envelope his member with her slender fingers. He was already aroused, obviously, and the up and down movement of Eri's hands, that followed, merely consolidated his state.

His eyes studied the tattoo on her chest and belly now. This tattoo consisted of more colourful figures and patterns, interrupted by some inkless areas. The four japanese characters depicted above her small breasts took him by surprise, and he almost choked, causing him to cough fiercely. Eri used the moment to guide his member into her cavity, starting their intimacy before he had fully recovered. She leaned forward, placing her soft lips on mouth, and started to move her hips rhythmically. Norio finally let go of his reservations about the danger she posed, and answered Eri's kiss passionately. At that same moment he became aware of a small bubble of wild, raging emotion deep in his belly.

Moments later the young Kuei-jin pulled her lips free of his, and sat upright, her head bracing the roof of the car. She continued to move her hips on his lap, and placed her hands on his chest, while looking down into his eyes. A smile formed on her lips, and he heard her gasp, suppressing a moan. In his belly the bubble of rage started to expand gradually. He placed his hands on Eri's breasts, and returned her smile, while trying to contain the raging emotion inside him. She was so utterly beautiful! He suddenly spoke to her, louder than he had meant to.

"You remind me of _Choi Sulli_ of _F(x)_! Your sweet face, long hair, slender body, and mesmerizing smile cut through my armor of reason and sensibility like a Katana cuts through the legs of an Ananasi. You make everything else seem utterly insignificant compared to us." Eri stuck out her tongue teasingly, causing another outburst of rage from his belly, that nearly reached his head. He _had_ to keep in control. "So you are comparing me to a cute Korean pop-singer now? I should be flattered, I guess? Sulli is very pretty indeed!", she replied, moaning softly.

"I am not a fan of Korean-popmusic myself, but...I can _see_ that you feel attracted to this...young enticer. The two of you seem to _fit_ well together!", he heard Bien say. He had not been able to see the Shadowlord, since Eri's body was blocking his view. The sudden comment however did not just alert him. He noticed the sudden frown that had replaced the ecstatic smile on Eri's face. Then the Kuei-jin turned her upper body, and struck out with her left arm toward Bien's lap. Norio cursed, realizing he was losing control of the situation...

* * *

Bien Shadow-Cane smirked, while tapping the fingers of his right hand rhythmically on the plastic vessel resting on his lap. The semi-hostile situation he found himself in, amused him. The fact that he was blind generally caused people around him to underestimate him. They would either threat him like an idiot, or show pity on him. But his disability actually gave him certain crucial advantages over others, whether they were average people or _shen_. These advantages made him an extremely effective mercenary.

Firstly, his superb sense of hearing told him all he had to know about the position and intentions of anyone in his immediate surroundings. Bien was so focussed on the sound of movement, that he often was able to foresee an opponent's next action.

There were, for example, six other individuals in this car. Four of them did share the back compartment of the limousine with him, among them the Stargazer called Norio Tsuda. Bien did not know much about this fellow Garou yet, but enough to fit him into his plans. The Stargazer was a Vampire hunter who wielded a Katana as his weapon of choice. He was called _Quickblade_ by the Khan and his other friends. It was a nick-name suggesting Norio's extraordinary skills with the sword. If offered the opportunity to compare their skills in a bout to the death, Bien would certainly take it. However, that desire would have to be surpressed for now, since it would jeopardise the _jobs_ he was working on. Like the Khan, this Stargazer was merely a tool to enable him to take out his targets.

Two yakuza strongmen, who were sitting directly to Bien's left and right, had initially fulfilled the role of guards, keeping an eye on Norio and him. Their attention, however, had shifted to the scene that was taking place in front of them, on the backseat of the car. The sound of suppressed moaning gave him a first indication of what was actually happening. Bien heard the man to his left swallowed multiple times, moving his hands across his knees repeatedly. The other man breathed heavily, as if he was nervous about something he was watching. He could hear him shift position every ten seconds now.  
Both men had clearly forgotten about him, and if he had wanted to, he could have killed them with ease. Bien was able to draw his Rapier, now hidden in the plastic vessel, with a quickness that would surprise most. But _shen_ were mostly tougher opponents than average humans, and just relying on his hearing when fighting one, would not always be sufficient to defeat them. That was why the fourth passenger, apparently a girl judging from her voice, intrigued him. She was in many ways...different.

Secondly, Bien had an extraordinary Fetish equipment in his possession, which enabled his blind eyes to see in certain specific circumstances. The Fetish, a human eyeball, had turned from jade to flesh, as soon as he had entered the car with Norio, earlier. The change indicated that an undead creature was in his presence. Since the yakuza strongmen were not paying attention to him, he used the moment to slip the organic ball into his mouth. The moment he placed it between his tongue and the roof of his mouth, colourful lights filled the vast darkness in front of him, forming the contours of the girl. The fact that he could see her chi-aura, meant that she was a Kuei-jin.

It surprised Bien somewhat to find the girl straddling Norio's lap. What were the odds of catching a Kuei-jin having sex with a Vampire hunting Garou? Well, he had seen plenty of weird stuff during his years as mercenary, and this wasn't the worst by far! Moreover, it wasn't important. What was important, was killing both his targets. Fate or just mere luck had blessed him with the opportunity to complete both jobs at once. This alliance would lead him to Kimiko Hinaru. She was his first target. After killing her, he would turn on Yamei Sunbeam and kill her too.

Bien could easily follow the conversation between Norio and the girl. He grinned when he heard the Stargazer compared the Kuei-jin to a Korean pop-singer. It was time to break up the two lovebirds...

"I am not a fan of Korean-popmusic myself, but...I can _see_ that you feel attracted to this...young enticer. The two of you seem to _fit_ well together!", Bien said. His intention was to cause a strong reaction with his choice of words. He needed to know what this Kuei-jin was capable of, so he could fit her in his plans. But the speed of the girl's reaction nearly broke his iron-nerves and his cover. The colourful lights shifted and extended towards him, turning a bright red. He heard the sound and felt the vibration of a solid object cutting through the plastic of the vessel on his lap. He barely managed to stay in control, not responding physically to the attack on his person. He had expected it to be a feint, to scare him or test his vision. He moved his left hand down slowly, and touched the solid object with his fingertips. It felt like a long knife made of bone...

"I cannot imagine how a Garou like you, blind and slow as a snail, could ever be useful to Gaia! And still you dare to bother us with your funny comments? Norio, why do you even bother to bring him with you? He is pathetic!", the girl said, her voice sounding like that of a spoiled teenager.

Bien's respons to the Kuei-jin's insult was unnaturally quick for a man without vision. But he was no ordinary man at all, and he would make sure they would not underestimate him again. He grabbed the young girl's wrist with his left hand, and pulled her towards him with force, causing her to loose balance and fall over backwards. At the same time his right hand pushed open the lid of the vessel, took hold of his Rapier, drew it out, and held the silver blade against the confused girl's throat. She cursed and yelled in panic, but was unable to recover from her helpless position by on her own.

"Let her go now or we will shoot your brains out!", he heard one of the yakuza strongmen next to him shout. He felt the sudden pressure of the barrels of two handguns placed against his left and right temple.

"Norio, I suggest you put your little sextoy on a leash from now on. The next time she threatens me, I won't be so kind as to wait for her guards to pull their guns!", he whispered, his voice determined and loud enough for both Eri and Norio to hear.

"Ok, that is enough! Eri, tell your men to put down their guns, and be nice! Bien, you let her go... You made your point!", the Stargazer answered in response. He heard the girl curse to her men about how useless they were, after which she ordered them to put away their guns. Then he let the Kuei-jin go, and put his Rapier back in the vessel on his lap. He kept watching her, while she pulled her bone sword free of the vessel's lid, and crawled back on Norio's lap. The human eyeball Fetish was still his biggest advantage. As long as she did not know about it, she would think him completely blind. He grinned to himself...

BAWOOOOOOMMMMMM

* * *

Yamei Sunbeam adjusted the hood of her drawstring jacket, and crossed her legs. She glanced at the sleeves to check if the green material showed any signs of wear, which it didn't. The jacket, her greenish skirt, dark leggings, and beanie hat, were actually protected by a gift, that prevented them from damage during a shapechange. Whenever she had to change into her Crinos or Lupus Form, the four pieces of clothing would be torn apart like any other outfit would, only to reappear undamaged on her person the moment she retook her human Form. A Kami-spirit had taught her this trick once, and it had proven quite useful. The gift, however, did not protect her clothes against regular damage, like staining, burning, tearing the fabric by accident, or just loosing the pieces after taking them off. She had become attached to the skirt, jacket and hat. They felt almost like an armor, whenever she fought Kuei-jin or Kin-jin in her human Form. It didn't matter that they didn't offer any _real_ protection, except against the cold. In her mind, they had a similar function as the twin-swords, that rested against her leg, wrapped together in a cloth vessel. They emphasized her role in Garou society. The role of a Deamon Eater.

"Why did you allow him to ride in the other car by himself?" Yamei turned her attention back to Daniella Black, who shared the backseat of the limousine with her and Ming Claw-of-Emeishan. She made great effort not to smile, since that could be interpreted as a taunt by the Black Furie. Yamei liked Daniella, but the woman's temper sometimes got on her nerves. "Quickblade is not alone. The Shadow Lord is with him.", she answered calmly. The Black Furie smirked, while her fingers played with the little shrunken skull in her hands. Daniella owned several Fetisch equipment, some of which harbored impressive powers, she had been told.

"Bienvenido is blind, for goodness sakes! How can he look after Norio and keep him save? Moreover, he is a Shadow Lord. Even you, Garou or Weretigers from the East, should be aware that his Tribe is not to be trusted. Its members ally with the Wyrm as often as they fight for Gaia.", Daniella said, raising her voice. When Yamei did not respond immediatelly, the woman continued her rant. "This is rediculous! _One of us_ should have accompanied him, to keep an eye on that vulgar vampire, or Kuei-jin...however you call her.", she uttered, while shaking her head. Yamei noticed the worry that seemed to replace the anger in the woman's eyes now.

The Deamon Eater realized that Daniella was actually right about the danger, eventhough she did not know much about the ways of the Middle Kingdom. The girl called Eri, Quickblade's new _friend_, was not just an average Kuei-jin, but an Akuma. She had not even tried to hide that fact from Norio or her. Moreover, Eri had most certainly sworn fealthy to the Yama King Emma-O, which made her _Shikome_. Shikome had great powers in seduction of men, _any_ men, and were naturally despised by women. Yamei had faced a Shikome once before, and she had only just survived the encounter, after the Kuei-jin had left her for dead. That experience had taught her never to underestimate an opponent. Being Shikome made Eri an even greater danger to Norio and to them all. Sooner or later Yamei would be forced to confront the girl, and kill her. If _she_ would not, Daniella was bound to face her, with the risk of getting herself killed.

But despite this predicament, Yamei had three reasons for supporting Norio's initiative to form an Alliance with Eri.

Firstly, they shared a common enemy with the Kuei-jin. This enemy, Kimiko Hinaru, a Pentex Executive among other things, was extremely powerful within the Japanese capital. It might be hard, if not impossible, for either Eri's yakuza followers or Yamei's own Garou allies, to take her out independently. Together, however, they might succeed.

Secondly, the _Scriptures of the Bloodsword_ told her that the Apocalypse was about to start, if it had not started already. After joining the _Heavenly successors of the Deamon Eater_ camp many years ago, she had been told about the Scriptures. She had studied them, and had had many discussion with the late Mouko Egami, among others, about the right way to interperet them. They had been sure about the fact, that the Apocalypse was imminent. Moreover, she believed firmly that it would happen in her lifetime. Certain passages from the scriptures seemed to refer to her personally in some obscure way. One of those passages, named _To Slay Giants_, read:

_At the end of an Age, mighty kings will thread the Middle Kingdom, and fierce generals will lead vast armies in their name._

_When caerns fall, an immortal will shatter the Wall between Worlds, starting the Apocalypse._

_Demons will wreak havoc and Yomi's scars will ripple through Gaia's flesh._

The one who was, will assemble Deamon Eaters and foes alike, and slay giants to save a city, together.

Thirdly, Yamei's beliefs about the Apocalypse had been supported by a phonecall, earlier today. Daniella had finally received a call from her packmates, after a number of failed attempts to reach them. Miyoko Watanabe, a fellow Deamon Eater, had told them about predictions from Cherry Blossom Shrine's Grand Elder, who was a reknown member of the _Zypher_ camp. The predictions matched with the _Scriptures of the Bloodsword_, and some of those had already come true. Another clear signal that the Apocalypse was imminent and near. Moreover, Miyoko had informed them that the major Caerns were under attack, and that all Garou had been summoned to aid in their defense. She had asked for Daniella and Norio to leave Tokyo and join them at Cherry Blossom Shrine with great haste. Daniella wanted to heed her packmate's call, but refused to abandon Norio. Norio insisted on working together with Eri to hunt down Kimiko Hinaru first. Yamei had not made up her mind yet, but she knew a decision had to be made soon. Very soon.

"Do not underestimate Bien Shadow-Cane. He is well able to defend himself...and his friends! If not for him, Ainesh and I would probably be dead.", Ming said, trying to keep his voice down. Yamei glanced at the Weretiger. He had told her all about the attack of the Pentex First Team on the Glass Walker's base, after their return. He had proudly introduced the blind Shadow Lord to her, Daniella, and Norio. Bien had fought back to back with the Khan, and had supposedly been the key to their victory. She was not sure what to think of the Shadow Lord yet. But she had no objection in him joining their little alliance. They could use any Garou that could hold his own, even if he was blind.

"You should not worry so much about your friend in the other car. I am sure miss Eri will personally see to his needs!" Yamei glanced at the girl who had just spoken. She was one of three girls, sitting on the three-person seat opposite them. She wore clothes and make-up in Goth-Loli style, and looked like a life size porcelain doll. The two girls to her left and right were wearing regular school uniforms, similar to what she had seen Eri wear. These girls seemed to be the young Kuei-jin's personal bodyguard, however odd that might seem. Yamei had the feeling these girls could be a lot more dangerous than the yakuza members under Eri's command. She turned her attention to Daniella, who seemed to be infuriated by the girl's comment. The french Black Fury was about to rise, and jump the three adolescent girls, which could only have an unfortunate outcome. Yamei lifted her arm and put the palm of her hand on Daniella's chest to calm her. The woman met her eyes, frowning. Then the anger seemed to float away, and the Black fury nodded to her understandingly, while she ran her fingers through her blond hair. She must realize that these girls were not their real enemy. Their focus should be on the Kuei-jin.

The three girls responded with mocking giggles, obviously trying to taunt them. One of the schoolgirls lifted her knee, and placed the sole of her shoe on Ming's cloth covered weapon, which rested on the side seat between them and the girls. Her face showed a smile, so cute, that it would entice most men instantly, and make most women jealous to the core. "If you do not remove your foot rightnow, young lady, I will remove it for you. Permanently!", Ming said, supporting his words with a stern look, that left no room for interpretation. Yamei had the feeling it would be quite a challenge to keep this alliance together.

BAWOOOOOOMMMMMM

Yamei's frowned at the sudden loud noise, glancing to her left and right in an attempt to identify its cause. However, her view was blocked on all sides by the blacked out windows. She watched the girl with Goth-Loli style dress turn and press the intercom to inquire if the driver had seen anything...Then the car crashed into something, and she was abruptly launched across the back compartment of the limousine...

* * *

Eri rubbed her painful head, and got up, ending her intimacy with Norio. Bloodstains covered her fingers, but she chose to ignore the injury, at least for the moment. The Kuei-jin wiped her hands clean on her skirt, opened the door, and climbed out of the limousine. Once outside, she turned her attention to the second car, that had somehow ran into them. Trails of smoke rose from the car hood of the white limousine, and the windshield had been shattered by the impact of the collision. The driver, one of her yakuza guards, lay motionless with his head against the steering wheel. A moment later the backdoor was pushed open, and she watched the vampire hunters climb out, followed by Susumu and the schoolgirls.

She noticed the sharp glances the Garou gave her, in particular the ferocious stare of the caucasian woman the moment their eyes met. If that woman's eyes could kill, she would have been vamporized on the spot. Did the Deamon Eaters think she was responsible for the collision, was it general mistrust, or was there some other reason for their animosity? Suddenly Eri realized she was wearing no more than her skirt and socks, allowing everyone on the street to see her breasts and body tattoo. Being this suggestive was clearly begging for trouble. However, she did not mind fueling jealousy among the female followers of Norio Tsuda. It should be crystal clear to them, that the grey-haired Stargazer was hers to do with as she pleased. But this was not the time to fight them. She decided to just ignored them, and walked straight toward Susume.

"Are you ok, Eri? You are bleeding!", the girl exclaimed, eyes worried. "Don't worry about me, Susumu. Check the injuries among the girls and the guards instead, and see if one of the cars can be salvaged...", she started, before she was rudely cut off. A rough push against her back caused her to stumble forward. She recovered herself quickly, and turned around to meet the eyes of the caucasian woman, again. She had to look up, since the blond haired _yariman_ was much taller than her. "_Omee nani miten da!_ Who do you think you are to dare push me around?" she yelled, unable to keep her composure. Was it the injury that got to her, or was it the fact that Norio and her had been disturbed _again_? She clenched her fists to push away her anger.

"I guess we haven't been properly introduced yet... My name is Daniella Black. I am a Black Furie from France, and we are known for pushing people around, especially when they mess with one of our friends! Norio Tsuda is my _close_ friend and therefore _my_ responsibility! What do you think you are doing to him, _saloppe_?". The woman backed up her words by changing into her Werewolf Form, right in front of her. It towered above her own human body, and seemed rediculously out of place in the middle of an average city street. This _Black Furie _clearly did not care if any bystanders could see it. Servants of Gaia were usually more reluctant to reveal their true nature, especially within cities. Was it her _Shikome_ aura that angered this woman so?

In an impuls Eri channeled her chi to extend bone material from her elbows, shaping the matter in two sword-like blades, the length of average Wakizashi. The bone swords felt very natural to her, even though she had only used this gift sporadically since she had become Kuei-jin. They almost functioned like extra limbs, and felt warm and light, despite their tough exterior. Wielding them felt like moving your arms or fingers. That should make them more deadly than the cold matter, lifeless material of an average sword. She could form other sharp objects, but she had not been Kuei-jin long enough to try out all the possible variations.

"This is _not_ the moment to settle this matter, Daniella! Calm down and save your anger for later." Eri turned her attention to the short-haired Deamon Eater who had intervened by placing herself between the Black Furie and her, just in time to prevent a bloody deathmatch. She had seen this woman before, in the Shinjuku foodcourt with Norio. The short-haired woman should be in her thirties, which was about Norio's age. She had an Asian appearance, but Eri was sure she was not Japanese, judging from her accent. The woman wore fasionable, sensual clothing, which emphasized her femininity, but the green colour and her short haircut radiated an air of rebellion and self-confidence. A cloth vessel she carried told her that this Garou was a hunter. Eri noticed how the _gaijin kimpatsu_, who had been furious a moment ago, yielded to the short-haired woman almost immediatelly, changing back into her human Form. She had better not underestimate this Deamon Eater...

"I can see that you too are a fan of Horimono, Kuei-jin! Your body tattoo strikes me with awe... but I must say that it seems rather confrontational for a young girl like you? Depicting the statement '_I swallow Deamon Eaters' _on your chest disturbs me a little!", the short-haired woman said in a calm voice. Eri grinned. The statement was _meant_ to be confrontational, and seemed to have the right effect. But the calm and controlled way of the woman's respons confused her a little. Should she pour more oil on the fire? "Well, it all depends on how you interpret these four characters.", she said, smiling intentionally at the gaijin called Daniella. The blond-haired woman cursed, and wanted to leap forward in a fury, but again the short-haired woman stopped her. "My name is Yamei Sunbeam. Remember my name, Eri! There will certainly come a day of reckoning, and I will be the one you face on that day!"

"What is going on here? Stop this rediculous rivalry, please, and look at the sky! We have bigger problems on our hands!" Eri turned and peered in the direction Norio was pointing out to them. High behind the buildings lining the street, she noticed a cloud of smoke and fire rising in the distance, illuminating the evening sky to the North-East. The smoke was pitch-black, but intertwined with bright spirals of fire that rose with it, causing the opulent city lights to appear dim and insignificant. The cloud took the shape of a mushroom, causing a wave of panic among the people on the street. When she glanced around her, she finally noticed the damage. Other cars ahead and behind had been involved in similar collisions, and had suffered some form of damage. Windows of shops to her left and right had been shattered and firealarms were sounding in the distance.

* * *

"What the hell is that? Did someone just nuke Tokyo?", Daniella uttered, frowning at the bright sky. Norio nodded in response, while rubbing the back of his head. That had been the third time she'd caught him do that! The grey-haired Stargazer clearly had been hurt during the sudden collision, and she tried to look for more signs of injury. She observed him for a moment, but could find no open wounds or blood, like the Kuei-jin and some of her entourage showed. When she tried to reach out and examine his head, he waved her away. Foolish man!

"It seems like a nuclear explosion, but of a much smaller scale...as if it was contained to destroy only a specific area. It looks like the cloud originates from Asakusa district.", he answered her finally. That was when the Black Furie felt a strong gust of wind passing through the street. The wind stirred up dust, plastic bags and ash, and she raised her left hand to cover her eyes. After a minute the sudden current was gone.

Flashes of lightning, some twenty meters in front of the black limousine, caught Daniella's eyes. The unnatural disturbance was followed by the appearance of a small rupture in the air above the street. She tried to peer into the hole, but saw nothing but darkness. The sound of similar flashes made her turn around and search the area behind the white limousine. Another rupture had appeared there, similar to the first one. The Black Furie glanced at Norio again, frowning. The Stargazer's locks of stray hair fluttered in the wind, while he was observing the vertical hole ahead. "I am not sure _what_ that is, but I bet something horribly evil is about to emerge from it!", he said, while shaking his head. His hands moved swiftly behind his back, pulling open the flap at the bottom of his leather guitar case. _Goji_ slid out of its hiding place, into the firm grip of its owners hands. Finally he noticed her watching him, and gave her a confident nod. However stubborn Quickblade could be, he surely looked handsome when he prepared for battle.

"Your predictions have come true, Yamei. This must be the Apocalypse! I am going to take out _Green Dragon_.", she heard Ming say. The tall, chinese Weretiger undid the strap of the long, cloth vessel, he was carrying, and revealed a weapon that looked like a long, shining halberd. Yamei nodded in agreement. "Ming is right! There is no need to protect _the Veil_, during the time of the final battle. These passers-by will be confronted with beings far more scary and controversial than us. We are all they have to keep them alive. Feel free to carry your weapons in plain sight. I presume we will need them soon, more than we ever did before!" Then Yamei met her eyes, and grinned. "Oh, and you all can shapeshift in full view now, if you want or need to. That goes for you too, Daniella!"

Daniella bit her teeth and pushed away the anger that boiled in her stomach. She was not angry at Yamei, though, but at herself! The woman had been right to mock her for loss of control earlier, and changing into Crinos Form in the middle of the street. She should not allow Eri to get on her nerves that easily. However much she disliked the girl, she would have to put up with her. They were in need of her help, if they truly meant to take out the woman in white. She commenced watching the others reveal their swords and other weaponry, while she squeezed the little shrunken skull she held in her right hand. The pieces of Fetish equipment she carried on her person were the only weapons in her possession. She disliked guns or knives, and preferred to use her claws and fangs during a fight. But her fascination with Fetishes had prevented skirmishes and saved lives in the past.

The Black Fury raised her hands to her chest when she felt the _Mime Stone _vibrate between her breasts. The small sculpture she carried around her neck warned her against imminent danger. She turned her attention back to the rupture, and saw the first warped creature crawl out of the dark hole. It was man-like, but unusually tall, and obviously wearing no clothing. Its oily skin shone in the artificial lights of the streetlamps. It turned towards a group of random people on the pavement to its left, a couple of meters ahead of the black limousine, and engaged them. Behind it two other Fomori appeared, their bodies less tall, but seemingly made up of plates of steel and electric wire. Behind her sounds emerged from the area near the second rupture, indicating more of the beasts had appeared there too.

"I guess we need to split up, or else we might be overwhelmed by their numbers. They could keep pooring out of those gates for some time to come!", Norio said, while moving away from the black limousine to the middle of the street. There he took a defensive stance, legs apart in a well balanced pose, pointing his katana at the concrete.

"I will join Quickblade's team! He will need me to guard his back.", Daniella said with determination in her voice.

"You will not! I am with Norio, and I told you lot before that I do not want any vampire hunters with us.", the Kuei-jin responded in protest. The young girl positioned herself between her and Norio, arms crossed, looking up at her.

"I am not a vampire hunter, Eri! I am here only because I care about the well-being of that grey-haired man behind you, and some of his friends. There is no reason for me to harm you, other than that big mouth of yours, maybe. So drop your rediculous demands, and get out of my way!

"Did you not hear me, gaijin? I don't want you with us! You can join your Garou friend and the Weretiger, and we will take the blind man with us.". Eri's voice sounded rather like a pouting teenager demanding a raise in her allowance from her parents. But Daniella was well aware of the danger she posed. Underestimating a Kuei-jin, even if she had the appearance of a young schoolgirl, would obviously mean a premature death. However, she could not give in this time. She felt she had to stay with Norio to keep him save! That had been the very reason for her to stay in Tokyo, after her packmates left.

"Norio, I am not taking no for an answer this time! You need me, and you know it!", she shouted confidently, her fists at her hips. She stared past Eri at the grey-haired Stargazer, meeting his eyes.

"I say we need a compromise. Quickblade.", Yamei interrupted them, before Norio could respond. "Take both Eri _and_ Daniella with you! I won't have any arguments about this now. I need all of us to fight together!"

"Well, I don't mind taking Daniella with us. As long as she promises to stay of my back during the fighting. I can not focus on the Bakemono when pouting and complaining about my every move!

"I promise, Norio!", she answered with a broad smile. Eri was utterly silent for a moment, glancing first at Yamei, then Norio, and finally at her. Finally she gave a reluctant nod. "Join us if you must. But don't try any tricks behind my back, or you will regret it!". Her voice sounded bitter. Daniella grinned, and rubbed the inside of the shrunken skull Fetish with the thumb of her right hand. It was time for battle!

* * *

Yamei Sunbeam studied the group of Bakemono that had just entered the street through the dark rupture in front of her. The vertical hole, hovering some two meters above the concrete, seemed to expand slowly, spreading a distict smell of Wyrm-taint in the process. "Atsushi, are you there? I am in need of your guidance. Things are about to turn ugly!", she said, while she began fastening the cloth vessel around her waist. The vessel actually had multiple uses, and concealing her weapons during her travels was only one of them. Yamei secured both scabbards of her twin wakizashi with a noose to her left hip. With a second noose she bound the blue-and-gold katana, _Makoto_, to her right hip. Then she drew _Xinku _and _Xingfu_ simultaneously, and took a defensive stance. Dragging three swords with her would hamper her flexibility and agility in battle somewhat, but access to a third weapon increased her offensive capability against multiple opponents. Moreover she had to bring Makoto with her, since it was Bloodgazer's weapon to wield during the Apocalypse.

"I am here, Yamei! Just let me know if you need me to take over.", the ancestor-spirit answered. She breathed a sigh of relief, when she heard him. Like any Deamon Eater, Yamei was well experienced in battle, and she was obviously able to hold her own. However, the presence of the pastlife during battle, even if he didn't take part in the actual fighting, had become a habit, which was able to boost her morale to greater heights. She yearned for that boost nowadays, and could hardly remember the times when she had fought without him.

Yamei noticed Bien's frown, and smiled. The Shadow Lord had obviously not known about the connection between her and Atsushi Bloodgazer. A Garou calling upon an ancestor-spirit for assistance or guidance during battle was not uncommon, but a Garou and a spirit sharing a body permanently was quite unique. It actually had caused her problems in the recent past, since some Garou and Hengeyokai accused her of being similar to a Bakemono. There was an essential difference, though.

Bakemono, being a human, animal or _shen_ possessed by an evil Bane spirit, came in many shapes and sizes. The ones regularly encountered in the Middle Kingdom, most of them artificially created by companies like Pentex, had an inconspicuous Form to appear harmless in any city crowd. Only when they changed into their horrifying Battle Form, the true nature of it's corrupted spirit was revealed. Bakemono from Yomi, however, had no clear distinction between their Human or animal Form and their Battle Form. The Banes residing in the different Hells seemed to enjoy depicting the essence of their corrupted being on their vitim's body, like an advertisement placed on the exterior of a city bus. In essence, all Bakemono or Fomori, as Western Garou liked to call them, were tainted servants of the Wyrm.

Yamei was not tainted and no servant of the Wyrm. She had invited Bloodgazer to share her body. It had been a choice of mutual benefit to the ancestor spirit _and_ her. She gave him an opportunity to feel, touch, and breath again like a mortal, while Bloodgazer provided her with his extensive knowledge from the past. It had also been beneficial to the _Heavenly Successors of the Deamon Eater camp _in general, since it had brought back to life one of its most reknown hunters in history. The spirit always asked her permission to take control of her body, never forcing his will upon her. She knew that one word was enough to cast him out, if she chose to do so.

"I will lead the attack! Ming, you guard my left flank. Stay a little behind me. Bienvenido, follow behind Ming and assist him as well as you can, but do not hamper the reach of his _guandao_.", Yamei shouted to her allies. Both the Khan and the Shadow Lord confirmed her command without argument. She knew she could depend on Ming, since she had fought with him before, during her recent hunts in China. The Khan had taken his _Sokto_ Form, which was taller than his human Form and made him physically stronger and more agile. She noticed his cheekbones had become sharper and his eyes larger and slitted.  
Bien still had to prove his usefulness in battle to her. The Shadow Lord flicked away the stub of his cigarette, and opened the blue vessel, revealing a _rapier_. "Atsushi, advise me on tactics. I will let you know, if I need you to join the fighting later!", she whispered, while staring at the rare sword. The spirit answered in her mind, and she nodded to herself. They were all ready.

She released a loud battle roar and engaged the group of Bakemono. The group, consisting of five creatures, was breaking apart, each monster picking different targets among the pedestrians. Two more were attempting to crawl through the vertical hole between worlds. She focussed her attack on the nearest creature, a gleaming pile of iron and steel parts that was somehow kept together by an awkward web of organic matter. Her target had launched itself into a small crowd of pedestrians on the pavement to her right, stabbing at them with two spear-like pipes, that functioned more or less as limbs. Three other pipes carried the creature to and fro, sharp metal ends causing sparks on the stone of the sidewalk.

When Yamei came near her target, it noticed her and turned, stabbing at her head with one of the metal pipes. The Deamon Eater parried the weapon with _Xingfu_, and used _Xinku_ to cut through the organic matter that tied the pipe to the creature's main body. Then she ducked to evade an attack with the second pipe, and spun around while swinging both her wakizashi at the three pipe-stilts supporting the creature. Folded steel cut through tainted flesh. The Bakemono released a loud roar of anguish, as all its limbs were severed from its torso, reducing it to a mere immobilized pile of iron and steel.

She used the moment to glance to her left, and witnessed Ming intercept a second Bakemono, who had turned to engage her from that side. The heavy blade of his g_uandao_ pierced the organic torso of the tall creature, and with a powerful thrust the Weretiger lifted his opponent high into the air. The Bakemono was not defeated, however, and spawned tentacle-like rubber hoses from its hips and back. The hoses made their way down to the Khan, and wound around his arms and waist, trying to immobilize him. "Bien! now would be a good time to assist me.", he shouted, while struggling to keep his opponent above him in mid-air. Behind Ming, Yamei noticed a third and fourth Bakemono move dangerously close to him.

Bien appeared between her and the Weretiger, seemingly out of nowhere. He moved remarkably swift for a blind man, using his cane as efficiently as an insect would use its feelers. The Shadowlord stopped dead, kneeled to the concrete, and lay his cane and sword at his left and right side. Then he raised his arms, and quickly moved the palms of his hands together, producing one loud clap. The action produced a sound like Thunder, and Yamei managed to turn away before the shockwave hit her. When she glanced at her allies again, she noticed the effect of Bien's action. The two Bakemono that had engaged Ming only moments before, stood still, as if they had been frozen on the spot. They seemed disoriented by the Thunder clap.

Yamei jumped up and rushed toward Ming as fast as she could. She leaped forward and struck at the rubber tentacles that retrained the Weretiger. The blade of her sword was merciless, cutting the tainted matter like a knife through butter. Ming, altough somewhat affected by Bien's gift, managed to swirl his guandao, launching the impaled Bakemono at the other two. The former collided with the latter, giving Ming an opportunity to retreat, assisted by Bien.

The remaining Bakemono, however, did not chase them. For a moment all of them just stopped moving completely. Yamei studied their awkward behaviour with great interest. It seemed as if something confused or scared them. Something that had not been there before. Something significantly more powerful than they themselves.

GRAAAAAAAA GRAAAAAAAAAAA

Two horrifying roars escaped from the dark rupture, echoing through the street. She kept staring at the hole and felt the sudden presence of a Bane-spirit. This entity, however, had not been there before, and it was significantly stronger than the ones controlling the Bakemono. Then her eyes widened, as she saw how her opponents were forcibly absorbed into a giant abomination of dead and living matter. She was witness to the birth of a Bane Giant.

* * *

Bien Shadow-Cane froze when he heard the _Bane Giant's _massive Mallet hit Yamei Sunbeam. He tried to pinpoint the accact position where her body was launched to. The Shadow Lord could distinguish the sound of something landing on the pavement some five meters to his right, and he rushed toward it. When he reached the spot, he hesitated. Soft groans and an agitated curse indicated to him that the Stargazer was still alive. However, after the direct hit she had suffered, she must be either incapacitated or suffer some major injuries.

"My swords! Can you hand them to me, Bien?", the woman spoke, her voice sounding weak, but still determined. Bien tapped his white cane on the pavement stones about him, and found one of the Wakizashi. He bend down to pick up the weapon. Should he hand her back her sword, or use this moment of vulnerability to finish her off? Taking out his second target first, could jeopardize his chances of killing his primary target. He could use the chaos of the skirmish here to strike and flee the scene. However, the odds of finding Kimiko Hinaru by himself were against him. And if he would not deliver on his deal with _Tou Mu_, the Yama King would surely hunt _him_ down instead.

Bien commenced his search for the second sword with his cane, but was distracted by the dominant noise of the battle nearby. He turned his head in the direction of the sound of the enraged Giant and made out shouts and howls of his fellow _shen_ fighting it. All he saw with his blind eyes was pitch black, except for the colourful shape of the Eri's chi-aura. The young Kuei-jin ran swiftly to and fro, probably in an effort to evade the powerful attacks of the Bane Giant. Now and again she rushed forward to attack, swinging her bone-swords at where he guessed her immense opponent must be. She had not made it a secret, that she served a Yama King. It was obvious to him that the one Eri worked for was not _Tou Mu_, since the Iron Empress never used Kuei-jin. Everyone knew Tou Mu openly despised them. However, regardless of whom Eri was obligated to, it did not mean that the two of them were bound to be adversaries. If he managed to speak to her alone, he might convince her they had a common goal. Yes, he would let Eri take care of Yamei Sunbeam for him!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 8** **- Pure Water**

Chiaki Hasekura took another deep breath, while she commenced staring at the heavily aged face of her late lover. She ignored the pain caused by her own injuries for the moment in order to caress Arjuna's head resting in her lap, kissing his forehead multiple times. The Silent Strider's long black hair had turned snow-white, and his once tender brown eyes now stared lifelessly upward, into oblivion. His hands lay frozen beside him, the tips of his fingers wrinkled and cold, unable to touch her ever again. The Galliard had lost the one thing most precious to her, and desperately tried to hold on to her sanity.

She tried to comprehend what had gone wrong. Had there been anything she could have done to prevent his death? She had been foolish to rush ahead and walk straight into a trap, that could have been avoided if she had only listened to Fang Yin. But she wanted to be next to her packmate during the battle. She wanted to fight at his side. Her reckless action could have resulted into a life of servitude and abuse by her captors, a ruthless band of Fenrir.

But Arjuna had come back to save her, like he promised her once he would. However, the odds were against them, and he had been forced to use his _Keris_ to turn them into their favor. Chiaki knew about the danger of wielding that sinister weapon. Arjuna had shared its secrets with her, and even he would use it only as a last resort. This time the Silent Strider had been wielding the weapon too long, and it had eaten away his entire life-force. He had sacrificed himself in order to rescue her.

The sound of a woman's soft crying made Chiaki glance to her left. Svanhild, the kinfolk woman who had mistreated her so, lay grieving across the corpse of her late husband Severin. The Keris' handle stuck out of the dead Fenrir's throat. Arjuna's last action had settled the score with the Garou that had raped her so violently.

"Ah, there you are, young Stargazer! Hurry up and come with me." Chiaki glanced across her right shoulder to meet Yubi's eyes. Tears rolled across her cheeks. The familiar grin on the Kitsune's face disappeared, when she saw her sad expression. Only then Yubi noticed the lifeless body of the Silent Strider in front of her. "Luna be merciful. What happened here?"

Chiaki told the Werefox everything she had been through since her capture. She had more and more difficulty to suppress the pain of her injuries, and in the end the words came out as mere yelps and squeals. After hearing her out, Yubi insisted on examining her injuries. Chiaki howled while her ally's fingertips touched her private parts. The Kitsune looked worried, as she raised a bloody hand for her to see.

"I do not have the ability to heal, but I can at least lighten your suffering.", the Werefox whispered. "This Ju-Fu gift is called 'Devour pain'. It will absorb all the pain of your current injuries." Yubi took a small piece of rice-paper from her pocket, folding and inscribing it with her blood. "Eat this! After you swallow it, it will feel as if your wounds are not there...but remember that the gift is just an illusion. Your body remains weakened, and wounds will keep bleeding until they are healed."

"Without your help I won't be able to reach the Namebreaker, and the others are counting on us."

"We have to free all the ancestor spirits captured in the scrolls."

* * *

Aiko Rin Fuse's heart was racing when she was about to summon the ancestor-spirit. Master Ciran had once told her about past lives, spirits of great Garou of the past. They had perished in forgotten battles or died of old age long ago, but their essence remained in the Middle Kingdom to serve Gaia or the Wyrm. But to actually summon one herself was...overwhelming. She inhaled deeply and finally spoke the words. "Aki Floating Leaf! I call upon your aid in a time of great need! I humbly request you to appear before me so we can become one."

Nothing happened at first, and Aiko Rin recited the words in her mind, wondering if she had said something wrong. Then she felt a strong presence, and she tensed up when it seemed to enter her body. It felt awkward at first, much like someone was trying to wear her jacket with her. It felt as if she had her arm up one sleeve, while someone else had his or her arm up the other, and the zipper was already halfway up. It made her feel cramped and she gasped for air. She felt a small bubble of rage in her stomach. She shook her head as the bubble grew. Suddenly the presence disappeared, and she was alone again.

"What is it, Aiko?", she heard Fang Yin whisper. She glanced at the Philodox in confusion.

"I summoned Aki Floating Leaf, and felt him merge with me. But I couldn't breathe. Now he seems to be gone...", she said, frowning. She heard a snort and shivered.

"Can't you Stargazers even summon an ancestor-spirit? Be quick, little one! I am not going to wait much longer. We have a battle to fight", the Fenrir said, without looking at her.

"About 60% of the Garou body is made up of water, much like the human body. If you are able to control the flow of water in your body, you will eventually be able to shape it in any form you desire. The few Garou who practice the _Pure Water _style are the ones that have mastered this concept. They use Kailindo techniques that migrate body water similar to Luna causing the ocean's tides. "

* * *

Delun kneeled down next to the lifeless body of a man laying near the entrance of the revolving restaurant. The victim had obviously been a Triadmember, judging from his clothes. Two other corpses dressed in similar uniforms lay a few meters ahead. Two more men, probably guards, lay in front of the elevator doors downstairs. He examined the wounds, and concluded that the perpetrators had to be _shen_. A human might be able to wield an axe, but the bitemarks at the throat of some of the victims had to caused by either a large tiger or something supernatural. He did not really care if they were Garou, Kuei-jin, Bakemono or Hengeyokai.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 9**** - Congregation of the Nine**

Shinobu Tanaka glanced at Daniella Black and smiled, while the two of them made their way across the main square of Cherry Blossom Shrine village. She was happy to see her _gaijin_ packmate again, after leaving the woman behind in Tokyo about a week ago. Shinobu was rather fond of the Black Furie, despite the regular tantrums she threw.

"I am truly sorry about refusing to come with you and Miyoko earlier, Shinobu!", Daniella said, while raising her right hand and running her fingers through her long, blond hair. It had been the third time she had apologized to her, which made Shinobu feel somewhat awkward.

The circumstances of their parting had not been pleasant. Their supposedly leisure trip to Tokyo had turned into an obsessive hunt for a Kuei-jin. The hunt had ended in a fierce clash between them and their opponent, Goro Shobo, who had had the support of his band of dedicated yakuza followers. The venture had nearly cost them their lives, and resulted in an argument between their packmate, Miyoko Watanabe, and a Deamon Eater called Norio Tsuda. Afterwards Miyoko and Shinobu had decided to leave the capital, and return to Cherry Blossom Shrine in order to join their packleader, Fang Yin Li. However, Daniella, who was still recovering from a serious injury at the time, had insisted on staying behind with Norio. This to Miyoko's dismay.

Shinobu was quite angry at herself for allowing all this to happen. The Theurge felt responsible for the spiral of negative events which had plagued her pack ever since they had parted with Fang Yin. She surely had not been the cause of any of it, but she could have spoken up and convinced Miyoko not to go ahead with her rediculous hunt! The Ahroun was almost as stubborn as Norio, but she always had been able to talk sense into her best friend. Why had she not done so this time? That would at least have prevented Daniella's injury. A quick examination of the French woman's chest a few minutes ago, showed that the knifewound had healed, which was a great relief to her. Only a small scar below the Black Furie's left breast remained as a silent reminder of their unlucky visit to the capital.

"However, it was the right decision to make! We have uncovered much about the Wyrm's operation in Japan.", the Black Furie continued.

Daniella had a different opinion about the events. According to the Black Furie, there was a reason for all this to have happened the way it did. The killing of Goro Shobo had turned out to be of mayor importance. The Kuei-jin seemed to merely be a pawn in the greater game the Yama Kings were _playing_. Removing this pawn had resulted in revealing the identity of the woman in white, a much more powerful minion of the Wyrm. Kimiko Hinaru could be of mayor importance to the outcome of the Apocalypse, and stopping her might be crucial, in Daniella's opinion. Moreover, if the hunt had not taken place, Miyoko and her would probably not have returned to Cherry Blossom Shrine in time to bolster the ranks of the guardians. And without their presence the past few days, the caern might already have fallen to the Wyrm.

"Moreover, I have brought some powerful friends with me to help with the defense of this caern during the upcoming great battle.", the French woman added. Her right hand disappeared in the pocket of her jeans, and her fingers groped around as if she was looking for something specific.

Daniella had only arrived an hour ago, bringing with her a small band of _shen_. Among them was Norio, which rather surprised Shinobu. According to Miyoko the grey-haired Stargazer had once vowed to never leave Tokyo. He saw it as his solemn duty to rid the city of vampires. She had to get used to the fact that the Black Furie and the grey-haired Stargazer got along rather well. Back in Tokyo the two of them had been like water and fire from the moment they met, constantly arguing about the most rediculous things.

Also among the band of shen, were a Deamon Eater called Yamei Sunbeam and a Khan called Ming Claw-of-Emeishan. Miyoko had mentioned Yamei in the past, and had been glad to see her arrive at the Shrine. The other shen were Eri, a Kuei-jin, and Bien, a Shadowlord. The former had the appearance of a young schoolgirl, but carried the Wyrm's taint, which had initially caused some panic among the guardians. The latter was a blind Garou, which raised even more questions within the sept. The next few days would show if these reïnforcements could turn the odds in their favor.

When Shinobu and Daniella reached one of the cottages lining the opposite side of the square, a yakuza guard blocked their way to the entrance door. The man was tall, and Shinobu had to look up to meet his eyes. He looked quite intimidating with his bare upper body, showing tattoos on his broad shoulders and wide chest. She frowned at him, but he did not move. The cottage served as the temporary quarters for all the newcomers, but Eri's human followers seemed to have claimed it for the moment. A second yakuza clothed in a black suit sat quietly on the floor next to the entrance, watching them. Daniella tried to walk around the first guard, but the man pushed her back toward the square roughly.

"Keep your hands off of me! Who the hell do you think you are, trying to deny me passage?", the Black Furie cursed, taking a threatening stance. The french woman's blue eyes were filled with raw anger. The yakuza guard was not intimidated by her, and put a hand on the tsuka of his sword. The second yakuza got on his feet and drew a pistol. Shinobu lay a hand on Daniella's shoulder, trying to calm her down. This was not the time to start a fight with their allies. They would need every man, woman or shen in the battle ahead!

"Please calm down and be reasonable, miss Daniella. My onii-san are only performing their duty!" Shinobu observed the girl who had just appeared in the cottage's front doorway. She wore a long, dark blue dress and a white ribbon in her blueish hair. The unusual clothing made it hard to determine her age, but the Theurge was sure the girl must be at least three years younger than her. "Our sempai, Eri, needs to stay indoors until sunset, and she does not want to be disturbed. When the sun has gone down, she will come outside, and you will be allowed in again, without restrictions.", she continued, her hands folded on her back, like a cute real-life doll.

Shinobu felt the warm rays of the morning sun on her arms and back, and nodded thoughtfully. She was no expert on Kuei-jin, but it was common knowledge that their skin could not endure sunlight. They did not burn, like the vampires of the West, but instead their skin and bones would rot away until nothing was left. She turned to Daniella. "Let me handle this!", she whispered.

"I am fed up with being told what to do by that little brat of a Kuei-jin or her girlsquad minions!", the Black Furie answered, initially refusing her offer. Shinobu, however, ignored her for the moment and turned her attention back to the girl with the dress and ribbon. "No need to start an argument now. We actually do not need to enter. We were just looking for our packmate Miyoko and our friend Norio. Are they inside?"

"All the Deamon Eaters left together about 30 minutes ago. I have no idea where they went. They mentioned something about patrolling the bawn, I think.", the girl answered, while gesturing the guards to lower their weapons. She seemed as relieved as Shinobu, that no force was needed to settle this argument. But the Theurge realized that the girl and the yakuza guards would probably have risked death to keep Daniella and her out. Something should be arranged to prevent further problems.

"Miss Shinobu Tanaka? Miss Daniella Black?"

Shinobu turned and peered across the square at the woman who had called their names. She recognized her as Hikari, one of the sept's kinfolk, who did a lot of chores for Izumi and the other Elders. When the woman reached them, she stopped for a moment to catch her breath. "You came looking for us, Hikari?", she asked curiously.

"Yes, I have some great news. Fumio and the caern spirits have succeeded in reparing the caern's _Moon bridge_. Elder Ryota Higoshi and your packleader Fang Yin Li have just arrived at the shrine. You are summoned to meet with them right away!", the kinfolk woman answered, while pointing at the old building across the square.

Well, that is great news! We will go and meet the new arrivals immediatelly. Could you find Miyoko for us and inform her too? She surely will be as happy as us to see Fang Yin again.", Shinobu asked Hikari. The woman answered her with a nod and a smile.

Daniella's anger seemed to have disappeared. The Black Furie was already on her way back to the Shrine, probably eager to meet Fang Yin. Shinobu glanced at the girl with the blue dress and white ribbon, who had turned to enter the cottage again. Then she stopped Hikari, who was about to leave to continue her search for Miyoko and possibly others. "Hikari, can you arrange a seperate cottage for the Garou guests? This one is occupied by the Kuei-jin, and she needs her privacy. The kinfolk woman nodded in agreement, and left.

Shinobu smiled satisfactory, and started running toward Cherry Blossom Shrine. When she was halfway, she stumbled over a cobblestone and halted to examine her ackle. A random glance toward the cottage caused her to frown. She saw Bien Shadow-Cane exiting Eri's new _lair_ followed by the girl with the dress and ribbon. Why had the Shadowlord been allowed to enter, while Daniella and her had not? After a moment she shook her head, turned, and continued her way toward the shrine.

* * *

Eri sat up straight, opened her sleepy eyes, and took a moment to get used to her surroundings. She apparently found herself in the main room of a forest cottage. The strong scent of timber and incense penetrated her nostrils. The outer walls were entirely made of wood, as were the heavy roofbeams. The windows' shutters had all been closed, but she could see narrow beams of bright sunlight invading the room through the thin grooves in the old wood. On a table in the middle of the room two burning candles offered just enough light to see clearly. Fragrant smoke rose from a bronze incense burner. Susumu was sitting at her bedside, accompanied by two members of her schoolgirl militia. In between two of the shut windows across the room one of her yakuza guards stood in attention.

She frowned at her deputy. "Where are we, Susumu? Why did you wake me?" The girl put a finger to her lips, and pointed at the doorway. "We are in Cherry Blossom Shrine village, where the Garou and Hengeyokai will make their last stand. I woke you up because of him! We tried to keep him out, as you ordered, but he was _very _persistent." When Eri glanced in the given direction, she noticed Bienvenido. The blind Garou was making his way from the doorway toward her, followed by two confused yakuza guards, one of whom was limping. He walked slowly but steady, feeling his way with his white cane. The moment he reached the middle of the room, he halted. The light from the candles gave her a clear view of his person. The third guard, who had kept watch near the windows, had drawn his gun, and glanced at her for permission to shoot the intruder. She shook her head and waved at him to withdraw.

Impulsively Eri used a gift called _White Tiger Corpse_, rendering herself invisible. The Garou had surprised her once already, back in the limousine in Tokyo. She had threatened him with her Bone sword, after he had mingled in her private business with Norio. His respons, a counterattack, had been so swift that she had had no chance to parry it. She would not let that happen again. Not ever! "Keep him occupied for me but do not kill him yet, Susumu. I want to study him.", she whispered.

"Why, mister Shadow-Cane, are you ignoring my friendly request to _not_ enter the cottage? I realize my onii-san can be a bit _rude_ sometimes, but I asked you _kindly_ to come back later!", Susumu said, while walking up to the blind Garou. The two schoolgirls followed her deputy and positioned themselves to her left and right. Eri used the moment to crawl out of the bed, straighten her skirt, and walk to a far corner of the room. There was always a chance of one of the girls giving her position away by an unintentional gesture or remark. Maybe that was how Bien had overpowered her in the limousine? She would not leave anything to chance this time.

"I need to speak with your boss, the Kuei-jin!", Bien said, loud enough for Eri to hear from a distance. The blind Garou placed the blue, plastic vessel, he had been carrying across his shoulder, on the edge of the table. Then he moved a hand to his mouth as if he was eating, and turned his head to-and-fro, sniffing. She saw him reach across the table and touch the incense burner for a short moment. Finally he placed the palms of both hands on the flat lid of the plastic vessel. The schoolgirls stared at it, knowing it contained his sword. The three yakuza took different positions behind him, fingering their weapons. They clearly hesitated to draw, since her last command had been to not interfere. They were searching the room for her, anxious to get new orders, but they obviously couldn't see her. Susumu, however, took charge as she had expected from the girl.

"Our sempai is not present at the moment. She went outside a little while ago to investigate the bawn with the Deamon Eaters. Why don't you come back later?", Susumu said, looking up at the blind Garou. Bien, however, shook his head and grinned. "You, my young lady, are a bad liar!", she heard him respond. Then he unexpectedly struck the lid of the incense burner with his left hand, launching it straight at her. Eri reacted on impuls, raising her hands in front of her to block the incoming projectile. The pain of the brass lid hitting her underarm caused her to scream in frustration. While rubbing the painful spot frantically, she turned her attention back to the Garou, discovering him right in front of her. The next moment she felt his strong arm around her neck, forcing her into submission. Then she noticed the stare of her followers, and she realized that the effect of her gift had been cancelled.

"_Chikuso_! You are able to see! You tricked me by posing as a blind man! But even if you have vision, how can you see through my gift of invisibility?", Eri cursed. She thought about spawning her bone swords to cut herself free of his grib, but she hesitated. This Garou was a though opponent. This was the second time Bien had had the chance to kill her. If he had wanted to, he would have done so already! So there must be a reason for him to keep her alive.

"I am blind, but I can see _you_, Kuei-jin. _Nameru ja nai_! Now send your henchmen away. I have things to discuss with you, in private.", Bien answered her. Eri raised her right hand and pointed at the door. The three yakuza didn't move at first. They kept their guns and sword aimed at her attacker, ready to engage him. The schoolgirls had a grim looks on their faces. The small knives in their hands would escape the untrained eye, and could do some serious damage. But Bien was using her as a living shield, and somehow she knew that backing this cat into a corner would turn out ugly for her. Susumu met her eyes, frowning. "_Achi Kaere, Baka_!", she yelled in fury. The direct insult had its effect. The yakuza and schoolgirls withdrew quickly. "Not you, Susumu! Close the door behind them and wait inside until I call upon your service.", she shouted at her deputy. Then she turned her attention back to the blind Garou. "Can you release me already? They are gone, like you wanted."

Bienvenido finally eased his grip, and she managed to break free, tumbling forward. She turned around again to face him, while rubbing her painful throat. "What is it you want to discuss with me, Garou?"

"I want to know what you plan to do about Yamei, the leader of the Deamon Eaters."

Eri frowned at the blind Garou, while adjusting her skirt and blouse. She had expected a variety of topics from him, but not this one. It was as if he could read her mind, and his directness shocked her. She had to answer carefully, or she might regret it. "What makes you think I am planning something against her?", she asked, showing him her most innocent face. He was blind, but she would treat him like a person with vision, just to be sure.

"Your scene with Yamei and the Black Furie back in Tokyo made it evident., Kuei-jin. You have a feud with them about Norio."

"Well, it is them who started the rivalry between us. Norio is _mine_, and they just won't accept that!", she answered in anger. "But why do you care about my love problems, Bien? Is it because...you want me for yourself?", she said while walking up to him. She reached up and put her arms around his neck to kiss him. Her lips touched his, and she closed her eyes to make the moment more intimate...but their was no respons from his side. Suddenly he shrugged her off, and pushed her away.

"I have no time for your games, enticer! I have two jobs to complete, and time is running out. My employer is not kind to the ones that fail her. We seem to have a common goal here, since you are in a similar predicament. That is why I seek your assistance."

Suddenly Eri realized what the Garou had actually been saying, and a broad smile appeared on her face. "You are serving one of the Yama King's, are you not? Norio told me you were a mercenary, a blind one of all things, but I never expected you to be a servant of the Wyrm? How come you have no taint?"

"I am _not_ a servant of the Wyrm. I am affiliated to no faction! I am my own man, making money by completing specific jobs. It just happens to be that a Yama King is my employer on this occasion."

Eri smiled. She would gain some significant advantage if she would seal a pact with this Garou. Her power as a Shikome increased gradually, as did her influence on Norio and other men. However, the aversion women felt towards her also increased. Sooner or later she would have to deal with both Yamei and Daniella. In Tokyo she had had the necessary forces to support her, but here at this caern she was seriously outnumbered. The fact that Bien, a blind Garou, had been able to force his way in and subdue her with relative ease was proof of that. Thenagain, he was not as helpless as she had previously thought. Bien was the secret muscle she needed to saveguard her position in this alliance. He had no Wyrm taint on him, so other Garou would hardly suspect him to be involved with her. "So what do you suggest we do, Garou?"

"We form a temporary alliance. I will kill the Black Furie first, as a sign of good faith. You will escalate your feud and face Yamei in a fight to the death. I will be there to help you kill her.", Bien said, as he slowly walked in the direction of the table. He took his white cane and tapped with it on the floor in front of him. "Yamei needs to die within the next 48 hours, or I will fail my job. That would mean an premature end to our alliance..and it would force me to kill you instead!".

"Do not worry Mister Shadow-Cane.", Eri replied hastily. "I will kill Yamei the moment I find her alone." Bien had already picked up his blue vessel, and was making his way to the door, when he suddenly froze. He turned his head from left to right as if he was making an effort to listen. Then he turned and swiftly made his way towards the bed she had been sleeping on earlier. "What are you doing?", she asked, frowning at him.

"Well, it seems we are not alone in this room!", he answered, while dropping his cane and clapping his hands together. She turned her head away and felt a shockwave hit her. Bien was staring at a small rodent on the floor between the bed and the wall. The animal did not move, as if it had been frozen on the spot.

"It is just a rat. Let it go.", she said, while shaking her head and sighing in relief. Bien did not answer. He lifted his boot as if to crush the rodent, but hesitated. Then the creature began to move, and a moment later it rushed outside through a crack in the wall.

"I guess you were right. I will leave now. Do not forget our pact, Kuei-jin!". Then he turned and calmly walked to the door and left.

* * *

Miyoko Watanabe studied the black limousine parked in the meadow below, halfway between her position on the hill and the cobblestone bridge. The abandonned car looked oddly out of place surrounded by high grass, Dwarf Pines and an occasional large rock. Damage to the car's windshield, back bumper and hood only emphasized the contrast of the scene. It was as if the Weaver had been caught in the Wyld's ambush. Behind the vehicle a dirt path ran from the bridge along the meandering stream to another low hill, where it disappeared out of sight. Behind the hill it would continue southward through a small forest of Cherry Blossom trees, Dwarf Pines, and Oak, until it reached the village. The path was one of two main entryways into the bawn, and the most likely battleground for an upcoming attack.

"I am quite surprised to see you here, Quickblade! I thought you would not be able to leave Tokyo? Don't misunderstand me, though. I am glad you have come.", she said, while turning around to face Norio. The greyhaired Stargazer had sat himself down in the grass, his back resting against the exterior of the _Tower of genuine Piety_. The Seven-storied stone pagoda, one of two ancient landmarks _guarding_ the northern and southern border of the bawn, was almost completely covered by Japanese ivy. The greenish tower loomed above her friend, as if it intended to crush him under it's weight at any moment. Norio might be as much a product of the Weaver as the black limousine. However, she did not think _he _looked out of place. In a strange way she felt that he belonged here as much as she did...

"I have failed to save my city, and now the capital is lost to Gaia! I came here to join you in a last stand, Miyoko...", Norio answered her. He seemed busy fixing the strings of his guitar, but after she had turned to address him, he stopped abruptly to meet her eyes. He looked determined as ever, but their was a spark of bitterness in his voice. She had fought some of the most wicked and deadly creatures at his side before, but those battles had never caused him to turn bitter. Only the loss of Tokyo to the Wyrm could effect him in such a way...

"Your mere presence encourages me to face the worst odds, Quickblade... but why in hell did you have to bring that little enticer with you?", she asked, while pushing away a sudden burst of anger. Everytime she thought about the schoolgirl Kuei-jin, it made her furious. It was awkward how easily she seemed to loose control of her thoughts and actions with that girl around.

"It was not Norio's choice to bring Eri. It was mine, and _I _am responsible for her not causing us any trouble during our stay!" Miyoko turned her attention to Yamei Sunbeam, who had been studying the area from their high vantage point, in silence. The prominent Deamon Eater had not changed much since their last meeting, some years ago. She radiated an exotic mix of new trends and old customs, both chinese and japanese. Judging from her clothes, her short haircut, and the way she carried herself, some would think Yamei a modern woman from the big city with a refined feeling for fashion. The drawstring jacket and beanie hat gave her a cute, urban look, while the short skirt and dark leggings emphasized her femininity, and made her look younger than she actually was.

But there was a different side to Yamei. The greenish colour of her garb emphasized the traditional way of _Zhong Kui, _and the horimono masterpiece that decorated her body, expressed lifelong dedication to her camp. In the cloth vessel on her back, she carried a pair of _wakizashi, _which she used as her main weapons in human form. The tattooed woman was able to fight with two swords simultaneously, which was something Miyoko had tried to master, without success. She was fairly certain that Yamei had killed more Kuei-jin and Kin-jin during her hunts, than Norio and her had between the two of them. Yamei was surely the best choice to lead _the Heavenly Successors of the Demon Eater _camp during the Apocalypse.

"Ofcourse! I realize that _you _wouldn't allow Norio to drag us all into damnation by following his chronic addiction to cute, adorable young women. As a _friend_ of his I just have to remind him of his silly habits every once in a while!", Miyoko responded with a grin. Norio released a growl. Yamei frowned at Norio in response, and then smiled at her. It seemed the woman and her could relate to each other quite well.

"You mentioned a major incursion into the bawn's territory, Miyoko. What can you tell me about the forces we are up against?", the short-haired woman asked, while inviting her to join Norio. She accepted the invitation and they both sat down in the grass, opposite the grey-haired Stargazer. The pagoda seemed to try and cast its shadow on the three of them, enveloping them partly in darkness, but a missing chunk of stone near its sixth story allowed a beam of sunlight to reach their faces. The morning sun felt comfortable on her cheek. Not all was lost yet.

"The contingent of Wyrm spawn laying seige on us consists of fifty to a hundred creatures. Small groups of Fomori and Werespiders were send into the caern grounds the day before yesterday, after they had managed to disable the illusion by using two _Zokushumi_ Demons. While most of the guardians were occupied near the Southern border, assassins managed to infiltrate the Shrine and kill Ciran, the Sept's Grand Elder, among others.", Miyoko commenced, surpressing a shiver. She felt responsible for the Elder's death as much as the regular guardians did, eventhough she realized there had been no way to prevent it from happening. Many more would die during the Apocalypse. Garou as well as kinfolk. But at least _nine _would live, according to Ciran's prediction. That thought gave her new hope and the strenght to continue.

"They also managed to plunder the relics armory, stealing most of the sept's powerful Fetish equipment. Eventually we managed to neutralize the infiltrators and kill the Zokushumi. We have temporarily restored the illusion by sacrificing gnosis to the caern spirit.", she continued her explanation. Yamei nodded thoughtfully for a moment, but then the woman gestured at her chest, frowning. "I see you have not been able to surpress that silly habit of yours, Miyoko? You finger those sharp teeth with the dedication of a Bhuddist Monk fingering his prayer beads. I don't mean to judge you, but sharing your emotions like an open book, makes you rather predictable for an observant enemy." Miyoko realized she had been touching the chain of vampire-teeth hanging around her neck, and she forced her hand down quickly. Yamei seemed satisfied by her action.

"This caern is protected by a cloak of illusion through its caern spirit. Zokushumi are a crucial threat to its defenses, but these creatures are extremely rare. By killing the two you mentioned, you might have forced the enemy to wait for reinforcements.", the tattooed woman said.

"So you expect more Wyrm spawn to join the current troops laying seige on us?", Ming Claw-of-Emeishan asked, joining their conversation. The Weretiger had gone back to the limousine, to pick up something Bienvenido, the blind Shadowlord, had failed to bring during their arrival. He stood erect in the sunlight, his height taller than most men, including Norio's. His _guandao_, a heavy, chinese halberd, was an extraordinary weapon seldom seen in Japan, which surely added to the Khan's vigorous appearance.

Yamei nodded affirmatively. "This is the Apocalypse, my friends. This is the end of days. The Yama Kings will empty their respective hells and throw at us whatever horrors they have available. They will play their best cards to try and destroy both Gaia and their powerful Wyrm competitors, and ultimately claim the Demon throne."

"But what can _we_ do to turn the tide of battle here? We are Deamon Eaters. We specialize in hunting down Kuei-jin and Kin-jin, in small groups or even by ourselves. What can our blades do against an endless horde of Bakemono led by the Yama Kings themselves?", Norio interrupted her. His voice sounded cold and his stare was almost gloomy. Bitter.

"Well, Norio. Judging from the result of our skirmish with the Bane Giant in Tokyo, I say we _can_ turn the tide of battle. And Miyoko here has managed, with the help of only a small group of Guardians, to hold back a powerful enemy, who has been laying siege for days now. I think we did prove to be quite effective in battle, regardless the odds. We Deamon Eaters might be few in number, but we are well organized, zealous and we have good connections to different septs, packs and sentai across the Middle Kingdom. What we need to do, however, is to work together with the other camps. I heard Miyoko mention that there are Kailindorians at this caern?"

"Yes, Ciran was a Master of kailindo. He had several students who are still part of the sept. Moreover, my packleader, Fang Yin Li, also knows kailindo. I think the number of Kailindorians available during the Apocalypse might be 5 or 6.", Miyoko answered.

"Someone is approaching.", Ming said. Norio intended to get up, but the Weretiger made a waving gesture for the three of them to stay and wait. Then he disappeared downhill in a dense thicket of Dwarf Pines and low brush. The next few moments noone spoke, and Miyoko caught herself fingering the teeth of her vampire chain oncemore. With her right hand she loosened _Seigi_ in the scabbard on her back. Silly habit...yes. Yamei looked calm, and even smiled at her.

A short moment later Ming returned followed by a kinfolk woman Miyoko recognized as Hikari. Yamei and Norio got up to meet the newcomer, and she followed their example. Hikari smiled when she saw Miyoko and walked up to her, ignoring the other hunters.

"The Elders have restored the caern's _Moonbridge._ Your packleader Fang Yin Li has arrived, and you are summoned to a meeting at the Shrine."

Miyoko felt a burst of excitement, and she nearly hugged the kinfolk woman. "That is some great news! We will return with you to the Shrine immediatelly."

* * *

Fang Yin Li observed the _shen_ who had gathered in the guestroom of Cherry Blossom Shrine. The Philodox had just been briefed by her packmates and tried to remember faces with names. She counted at least fifteen Garou, most of whom were fellow Stargazers. There were also three non-Garou _Hengeyokai_ present. Next to her _Kitsune_ friend, Yubi, stood a tall _Khan_, who listened to the name Ming. He was chinese, according to Miyoko, and affiliated to the Deamon Eaters. She frowned when she noticed the weapon pressed against his shoulder. She recognized it as a _guandao_, a heavy chinese halberd from ancient times. A short, plump man, standing a few meters to Ming's right, was _Nezumi_. The Wererat had been the last one to enter the room. He appeared anxious about something, and kept glancing at the door.

"I am so happy to see you again, Fang Yin! I can hardly believe it has only been two weeks since your departure to China. It feels like we haven't been together in years.", Shinobu said, while putting an arm around her waist. She gave her a short, tender hug. The Theurge was taller than Miyoko and her, and had to bend her knees for them to touch their cheeks together. The young woman's eyes shone, and she looked more confident than before. There had not been enough time for them to catch up on eachothers adventures. That was a shame, since Fang Yin was eager to know what had happened to her packmates during their stay in Tokyo. But all in due time.

"I am happy we are together again, Shin. I have missed the three of you so much!", she answered, while glancing from the Theurge to Miyoko and Daniella. The Ahroun only nodded. She kept her attention on the other Vampire hunters opposite them. The Black Furie, however, answered with a smile. Despite her being the only foreigner present, she seemed to blend in well here. She had even learned a bit of Japanese. That was a very positive development. Fang Yin had had her doubts about Daniella being able to adapt to the ways of the East.

Some of the participants were still in casual conversation, but the majority was paying attention to the sept's Elders. They were forming a large circle around the burned remains of a little bamboo table in the center of the room. The last time Fang Yin had been here that table had been whole, and Ciran Far-Traveller had been alive. Now the grand Elder was dead, and utter darkness threatened the existence of this once peaceful place. Her return from Shanghai could not have come at a more opportune moment.

One Garou entered the circle and took his place in the very center. The crowd turned silent. The man wore straw slippers on his feet, which he placed right in the ashes of the table, while he commenced to address the assembly. "I am Takeo Slicer-of-Bamboo, the Warder of this caern, and spokesman for the sept's Elders. I thank you all for responding so quickly to my call for this important meeting. I especially want to send my warm regards to our friends and allies who arrived this morning. One party arrived by limousine from Tokyo four hours ago. Another party arrived by _Moon bridge _from China less than an hour ago. You must be tired, and you haven't even had time to visit the temporary quarters we arranged for you. But the urgency of our situation leaves me no choice to call upon you without delay."

Fang Yin took a moment to study the Warder. He was a middle-aged, heavy build man with a fierce look in his eyes. He wore a traditional Zen robe, similar to the one Ciran had worn, and carried a long, bamboo staff. The robe expressed celibacy and a complete dedication to serve his sept. The staff resembled an ordinary farmer tool. However, the fact that it was in the posession of a Warder, told her it must be a Fetish weapon with spectacular power. This Warder clearly had authority within his sept. He was a beacon of confidence and determination, meeting the eyes of each individual while he spoke. That was essential under the current circumstances. Without the right leadership moral would drop quickly during the upcoming battle.

"Today, while we are assembled here, our caern is threatened by a large force of Wyrmspawn. Word has reached us that other significant caerns in Japan have already been destroyed by this force.", Takeo continued, while glancing at each of the participants in turn. "Our defences have been weakened by previous attacks, and our guardians are few in number. This is why I need to ask _your_ aid in the final battle. Look around! We are truly a menagerie. Garou as well as Hengeyokai, from different tribes, septs, packs, sentai, and camps. Alone, our sept won't be able to hold out for very long. But with your assistance we might be able to provide a proper defence, worthy of Gaia's children." The Warder made a respectful bow to the crowd and retreated to his place among the Elders.

Then a tall woman in green stepped forward. She had short hair and carried two short swords at her hip. On her back a longer sword was fastened, much like the way Miyoko carried hers. "I am Yamei Sunbeam, and I represent the _Heavenly Successors of the Deamon Eater _camp. I pledge that I and all the Deamon Eaters present will stay to support your defence of this caern. The woman shared a glance with Miyoko, and the Ahroun nodded in agreement. "We have discovered that the senior leaders of the Wyrm's army are Kuei-jin. It is our duty to face them and counter their plans. We will make our stand here during the Apocalypse."

Fang Yin glanced a final time at her packmates. Miyoko, who stood beside her, held _Seigi _casually by its scabbard. The Ahroun met her eyes, and nodded eagerly, urging her to address the congregation. She turned to Shinobu, who gave her a firm nod and a smile. Daniella was watching the male Garou that stood next to Yamei, but met her eyes, when Fang Yin touched her shoulder with her fingertips. Daniella confirmed with a nod. Then Fang Yin stepped into the circle, and adressed the crowd. "The Silver Lotus pack will stay at Cherry Blossom village to assist in the defence of its caern!", she announced. She watched the Elders respond with bows, before she returned to her place among her packmates. She touched the rings on each finger of her left hand with the fingertips of her right hand. She hadn't had any doubts about what her pack should do. However, the words she had just spoken had sealed their fate. Her pack would keep Gaia's precious caern out of the Wyrm's hands during the Apocalypse, or die trying.

* * *

Haneul, the Twelve bladed Demigod made his way through the rows of tainted soldiers occupying the broad valley. The main force of Mikaboshi's army had arrived at the slopes of Mount Asahidake, where it was about to destroy Gaia's final caern within Japanese territory. To his left and right endless lines of Bakemono stretched toward the horizon. Each line was composed of Fire breath demons, Steel fiends and Ice fiends from the Wicked city.

Occasionally the pattern of straight lines was distorted by the massive silhouette of a Bane Giant or Zokushumi demon. The Bane infested soldiers were afraid of their powerful _cousins_, and made sure to keep their distance. The Zokushumi could be driven like cattle with the right amount of soldiers. The Bane Giants, however, were hard to control sometimes, even for the Demigods. He himself had set an example right at the start of their campaign, by singlehandedly slaying one of them. That had ensured his undisputed rule as Lolle Belle's deputy-commander of this invincible legion. Mikaboshi's army was surely the most powerful and destructive force the Middle Kingdom had seen for thousands of years, and to lead it was an honor. Moreover, he knew that the Yama King would reward him greatly if he brought Lolle Belle complete victory. Maybe he would even be allowed to loot one of the major cities until it was depleted of mortal souls.

The three previous caerns had been overrun with ease. Their had been significant opposition by the guardians, but Gaia's defenses had been no match for the grand Legion. After he had slain the respective Warders, resistance had crumbled fast like a house of cards. The final caern would have the same fate.

Haneul neared the front of the army, where he found Lolle Belle and the other Demigods.

Aoi, the Oni-Slaying Demigod glanced at him, before turning his attention back to the conversation. He did not see the Bakemono deputy general as his actual competition. Aoi was hardly sane, and if it ever came to a fight between the two of them, he would cut the man down without mercy. However, Aoi could wield a bow like no other Fomori. His arrows never missed their target, and his armored skin had tricked many opponents. He would use Aoi to lead specific assaults, especially those that had a high mortality rate. In his eagerness to prove himself to Lolle Belle, Aoi would take on any opportunity to shine.

Tsukuyomi, the Crecent Demigod was another matter. Tall and beautiful, one would not expect her to be one of the fiercest Bakemono ever to walk the Wicked city. She was notorious for her skill with the Naginata, and her ruthlessness. However, the woman was dedicated to Mikaboshi, and she would serve his champion with devotion. Tsukuyomi was also rather intellligent and calculating, in contrary to Aoi. Haneul could trust her to complete specific tasks, without having to worry about her loyalty.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 10** –**The Battle at Cobblestone Bridge**

Yubi sat crouching on the edge of the hill, peering across the meadow at the cobblestone bridge. Despite the dusk, she could see three figures crossing the solid structure and entering the bawn. The first was a short, plump man, carrying a bow. He was followed by a tall, slender figure, possibly a woman, judging from the graceful way she moved. The outline of the pole weapon she carried stood out in the light produced by the third figure trailing behind her. A giant compared to the former two, small lamps on his torso produced beams of light that cut through the twilight, illuminating the grass around him. He did not carry a weapon, as far as she could see from this distance. She shivered, while her fingers touched a small piece of paper in her right pocket. These three were no ordinary foes. They were the fiercest generals the Wyrm's army laying seige on them could muster, chosen to face the warder of Cherry Blossom Shrine in a battle to the death.

Behind the approaching generals an endless line of Bakemono occupied the far bank of the stream that marked the northern border of the caern's territory. The frightening shapes of their warped bodies were partly illuminated by the light of torches and headlamps. The loud noise of their shouts and battlecries carried across the meadow continuously, like a dark, unstoppable torrent. However, none of the tainted creatures made an attempt to follow their three champions. Their supreme commander must have realized that a massive intrusion would only slow their conquest. The illusions that protected the bawn of this particular caern would disorient and confuse invaders, giving the guardians time for deadly ambushes.

"That is one huge army! There must be hundreds and hundreds of Bakemono surrounding us...their number could easily reach a thousand.", Norio Tsuda said in a neural voice. The gloomy Stargazer stood not far behind her, leaning against an old, stone pagoda, that was covered by a blanket of green leaves. A small sphere of dim, blueish light she had conjured with her paper magic, illuminated his person. Like the other Deamon Eaters, he carried a sword, which he appeared to treat like a person of flesh and blood. He even called it by name. A strange custom in the eyes of a Werefox.

"With less than thirty Garou and Hengeyokai to defend the caern and protect its kinfolk, we are badly outnumbered.", the Stargazer continued. Yubi grinned. She found the Garou to be quite ignorant of military tactics. The outcome of the upcoming battle would not just be a matter of military strength. A greater number of soldiers was a welcome convenience for any general, but this could also turn out to be a nasty disadvantage. She knew stories of _sentai_, consisting of no more than five _shen_, who had held out against superior forces, and had eventually managed to overcome them. All depended on the skill and effort of the individual warriors available, and the quality of leadership involved. Lifting this seige would be a matter of cunning. She was no leader material herself, but her service at the _Beast Courts _had taught her enough about war tactics to understand this much.

"I guess our fate rests on the shoulders of the Warder, Norio.", Ming Claw-of-Emeishan responded. "His challenge to duel with the Wyrm's generals was a brave and significant act. It will at least prevent wide scale bloodshed for the moment. If he can manage to beat the three generals, we gain valuable time to plan, and the moral of our enemy will diminish significantly. But if they slay him, fear will spread among the sept's defenders like a plague. Without strong leadership we will be overwhelmed by their numbers."

The Kitsune turned her attention to Ming, while calling to the sphere of light with her mind. It slowly hovered closer, revealing the tall Khan. He stood beside her, holding his guandao firmly by its steel shaft, driving the butt of his weapon deeper into the grass covered soil. He rested his free hand behind his back, as if he was resting it in preperation of an exhausting battle. Yubi had to look up to see his face. His slitted eyes shone with vigor. The Weretiger did not show signs of fear. None. He actually seemed more confident than before, almost eager for the imminent confrontation. She would expect nothing less from the Tiger General of the Ministers of Heaven. It had taken her some time to realize who he was, but _Green Dragon _confirmed her assumption. When she had asked him about his identity during the meeting in the guestroom of the Shrine, he had admitted that he was indeed _the One Mountain_.

She turned her attention back to the meadow. Takeo, the warder of the caern, stood on the roof of a black car that was parked in the middle of the meadow. The head- and tail lights had been switched on, and three spheres of light, similar to her own, floated in the air above and beside the car. In his right hand the warder held what seemed like a simple bamboo staff. The heavy build giant had positioned himself in front of the bridge. The short man with the bow followed the stream, until he finally halted near a pile of rocks further to the West. The tall woman continued to approach the warder alone, until she was about ten meters from the car. There she halted and raised her pole weapon. The sharp point of a sword-like blade was suddenly visible.

"Why do we let him fight those three Bakemono alone? Shouldn't some of us go out there and aid him?", Eri said. The Kuei-jin, standing next to Norio in her innocent schoolgirl attire, looked oddly out of place among the group of Vampire hunting Garou. The young girl always _did_ stay close to the gloomy Stargazer, whenever she left her cottage, and there was ample reason for that. Yubi noticed that none of her yakuza guards and schoolgirl servants were present tonight. That was odd to say the least.

"Takeo is not alone, Kuei-jin! His packmembers are with him. Watch closely and you will notice them.", Yamei Sunbeam answered the girl's question. "He was only allowed to enter this battle with two other guardians. We will not interfere, unless one or all of them are slain." The tall woman in green was the leader of the Deamon Eaters. Yubi shook her head and surpressed a smirk, when her eye fell on the three swords the woman carried. Why would Garou need so many blades, when they had a perfect pair of natural claws at their disposal? A Kitsune would never even consider bringing so many weapons to battle. It was completely rediculous.

In the meadow a short exchange of taunts was followed by a skirmish between the warder and the three Bakemono. The warder turned out to be an excellent fighter, holding both the man and the woman at bay. Another opponent suddenly appeared in the meadow, quickly followed by the appearance of one of the Elder guardians she had seen at the meeting. Yubi frowned when the warder hit the short man with his staff, causing him to disappear. She glanced at the others watching the battle with her from the hilltop. Not everyone seemed surprised. Yamei was watching intently, but did not look disturbed. Behind the woman the Kitsune noticed Miyoko Watanabe, who was another Vampire hunting Garou. It seemed like the younger woman was searching for someone.

"Has one of you seen Daniella? I find it odd that she is not here on the hill with us.", Miyoko asked, while turning from one to the other.

"Maybe she is with your packleader, Miyoko?", Yamei answered the Ahroun, without taking her eyes of the battle. "And Yubi...", she continued. "I would appreciate it if you could keep that sphere behind us. The light is meant to show the enemy our mere presence. Not to give away every detail of our weaponry, armor or haircolor."

"No!", Miyoko answered. "Fang Yin only wanted to bring Shinobu with her into the Umbra. She was very clear to us about that. Daniella and I were assigned to guard the meadow with you." The woman simply ignoring the remark about the sphere, as if Yubi wasn't there. The Kitsune shook her head, while guiding the sphere away to a position closer to the pagoda. These Garou had no manners!

"I spoke to her in the village just before I came here, Miyoko. She told me she needed some time to think. I offered to accompany her, but she wanted to be alone for a bit.", Norio said, turning toward his fellow Deamon Eater. Miyoko met his eyes and frowned, as if she blamed him for leaving her packmate all by herself. Yamei, however, put an arm around her, and pointed at the ongoing battle. "We are needed here at the moment, Miyoko! Daniella will be save as long as she stays in Cherry Blossom village. You can check up on her later."

Suddenly a loud roar rose from the line of Bakemono across the stream. The roar was a bad omen. Ming was the first to respond, raising his halbard, jumping forward and sliding down the steep hillside straight toward the scene of battle. Yamei immediatelly turned to the others, giving orders. But Yubi didn't pay attention to her. Her eyes searched the meadow for Takeo, the warder. She found him leaning against the hood of the black car. His head was missing. The giant Bakemono loomed above him, a metal blade gleaming in the moonlight. Without a second thought Yubi rushed after the Khan. Her fellow Hengeyokai was in dire need of her help!

* * *

Izumi Rolling-Pebble held her position in the meadow, waiting patiently for her packmate, Takeo Slicer-of-bamboo, to take the initiative. As leader of the _Peach Twig Meadow _pack the Philodox was used to giving orders herself, but during times of war the caern's Warder was in charge of the sept's defense. Takeo had practically been raised to become warder, and she had blind confidence in him. The Ahroun stood to her left, on the roof of the limousine the group of Deamon Eaters had abandoned here after their arrival. He stood straight, gazing at the enemy lines, while his dark Zen robe fluttered in the wind. There was no fear in him, she knew. He was determined to keep his sept alive, even during the Apocalypse.

She caught a glimpse of Ryota Higoshi, who stood on the other side of the car. The Theurge was staring at the approaching generals, not moving from his assigned position in the grass. He was an Elder and a guardian, just like Takeo and her. The three of them would form the first line of defence, and face three of the Yama King's generals. It seemed logical, since they were veteran guardians and knew the bawn grounds extremely well. Another Elder, Fumio Heals-with-Vigor, would lead the Umbral defence. The other guardians and the Garou and Hengeyokai allies had been assigned to form a second line of defence.

The Bakemono rushed forward and swung her pole weapon, aiming for Takeo's feet. The Warder managed to evade the strike by jumping off of the car, landing in the grass in front of Ryota. He immediatelly counter attacked with a strike to the woman's head. She was quick to parry the bamboo staff, and also parried a Takeo's second strike. Something appeared from under her robe, lashing out toward the Warder, grabbing him by the upper legs. Takeo

* * *

Ming Claw-of-Emeishan engaged the giant Bakemono who had just slain the warder of Cherry Blossom Shrine. The Khan had watched the zealous Stargazer with great admiration. To fight three of the Yama King's most notorious warriors with only a bamboo staff was utterly brave. At one point Ming had thought him able to defeat all of his opponents, but the odds were against them, obviously. This was the Apocalypse. The final battle. Every one of them would be tested to the limit. Some of them would live, but most would die. It was sad to witness such a proud Garou fall. Now it was up to him to turn the tide of this battle, before it was too late.

When Ming reached the bottom of the hill, he ran straight at his target, only to find his path blocked by the tall woman with the _naginata_. She spun her weapon around her waist, forcing him to a halt in order to avoid injury. The Khan took a defensive stance, raising his _guandao_ in front of him, and studied his opponent for a moment. Although they both wielded traditional pole weapons with similar reach, there were small differences that could decide the outcome of this skirmish. The Bakemono's naginata had a lighter, sword-like blade. It would be easier and less exhausting to wield. Its strike or stab would be quick and deadly. His own weapon had a much heavier crecent blade. It took much strenght and effort to wield, but its strike was utterly destructive. He would have to create an opportunity to break through her circle of defense, without being cut to pieces in the process.

"What is your name, fiend? I would like to know who I am facing, if this is supposed to be my final fight.", he shouted at her. From the corner of his eye he thought he saw Norio and Miyoko run past him and his opponent. They would probably engage the giant, while he was held up here. He didn't pay attention to them, but kept his eyes on the woman. He had to take her down first!

"My name is Tsukuyomi, the Crecent Demigod! My reputation is notorious among the Bakemono servants of Mikaboshi. You are wise to fear me, slave of Gaia?"

"Well, my name is Ming, and I am not a slave. I am a Khan, reknown and respected among the servants of the _Beast Courts_. I am going to take your head like my ancestor _Lord Guanyu_ did with your ancestors 2000 years ago!"

"Is that so? Your weapon interests me! I will bring it with me to the Wicked City after I kill you, little cat!", she grinned, and rushed forward.

* * *

It had already gone dark when Daniella Black finally returned to the cottage that had been assigned to her pack the day before. She had gone out for a walk in the forest south of the village, and had fallen asleep while laying in the high grass. The Black Furie realized she was late for the battle, but she was determined to join. She might need to hurry. Her packmates would need her help. Norio would need her help.

In the distance to the north she could hear the faint sound of drums and shouts. The village itself was quiet. Her packmates and the other guardians must already have assembled at the battleground. The fighting should have started by now. She quickened her step until she saw the cottage.

A japanese style oil lamp, of which several had been placed at the edge of the village, illuminated the entrance of the wooden structure. The cottage was rather small, about half the size of Eri's and a little smaller than the Deamon Eaters', but big enough to house the Fang Yin, Miyoko, Shinobu and her. However, it had offered them little privacy that first day. After yesterday's meeting with the Elders, several Garou and Hengeyokai had come to visit them, one after another. The Black Furie had left the planning of today's battle to Fang Yin and Miyoko. She had tried to follow Shinobu's example by laying down to rest, but she couldn't sleep. She had too many things on her mind.

Privacy was something Daniella had always taken for granted. Back in Paris she had had her own appartment, where she could retreat and think. She had been single by choice. Not because she hated men. The Black Furie had trouble trusting them, though. She had managed to work with them, as long as they kept the relationship strictly professional until business was done. Lovers she had kept well away. Men had always confused her and annoyed her, when they got too close to her heart. She needed freedom to perform her role as a guide to Garou visiting her city. She needed time to search for and collect mysterious Fetish equipment...Well, that had been her old life, before she had joined the Silver Lotus Pack.

Suddenly the Black Furie felt a faint vibration between her breasts. She moved her right hand up to her chest and touched the Mime Stone that hung on a cord under her sweater. The tiny crystal with the figure of a naked woman on it, was a Fetish equipment that warned her of imminent danger to her person. It surely was her most precious possession. It had saved her life multiple times, and it had never been wrong. She was in danger! She glanced around vigilantly and waited in silence for a minute that felt more like an hour. Nothing happened. Noone appeared. She frowned to herself. Then she entered the cottage.

Inside it was dark, and she impulsively reached for one of the candles on the small table to the left of the entrance. Only after she lit it, she noticed there was someone else in the room. The girl with the blue dress and white ribbon sat on one of the beds across the room. Her bed! "What are you doing here?", Daniella exclaimed, holding the candle in front of her to see the girl clearly. She felt a mix of anger and surprise turning in her stomach. Was this a joke or a trap? The Mime stone...did this girl pose a threat?

"I imagine you are quite surprised to see me here, miss Daniella? Well, I can explain. I was asked to wait for your return and deal with you afterwards."

"You have become a significant threat to my sempai, Eri. So she decided you will have to die tonight."

"Hilarious! I knew that Kuei-jin was up to something bad. But why did she send you? Does she think you, a simple human, could actually kill me?"

"No, I could hardly kill you. But he surely can!", Susumu answered with a smile, while she made a slight nod toward her left. Daniella shifted her candle toward Shinobu's bed. She discovered Bien Shadow-Cane crouching on her packmates matrass, the palms of his hands resting on the lit of the blue vessel in front of him. The blind Shadowlord smirked at her. He couldn't see her, but he surely had heard her respons. The man was a mercenary!

"What are you doing here? You should be with the others defending the bawn at the bridge!", she exclaimed, her voice trembling.

"I could say the same of you, Black Furie! Why are you still lingering here all by yourself? You couldn't have made it more easy for me.", he answered, his voice cold.

"So you have been hired to capture or kill me? Is that the real reason why you joined our group in Japan?"

"I am not after you, french girl. My target is Yamei! You are just in the way. Wrong place, wrong time!", he said, while rising to his feet.


End file.
